fireworm in my tank.

[drummerj]

I just saw a fireworm in my tank. Doesnt look like ill be putting corals in there.

http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/photocontests/l/blpicinvkekilfw.htm

 

[roka64]

Can you get a pic, for verification? You could build a trap and catch it....

 

[afishyonados]

Don't lose all hope just yet...

I would consider a Pseudochromis sp. and or a small squirrel fish. Both will eat the fool out of those worms! I had a Pseudochromis porphyreus that was so fat from eating those worms, his eyes were kicked out like gullwing doors. Dead sexy. "You! Worm! Get in my belly!"

 

[roka64]

Actually,, afishyonados brought up a great point. I believe some wrasses eat them.

 

[afishyonados]

Thalassoma sp. and Halichoeres sp. to name a few dozen. (insert smiley face of your choice here!)

 

[drummerj]

wow, there was such a quick response! I edited my above post with a link to a picture of a fireworm. It looks identical to what i just saw. Pseudochromis sp.? I will go down tomorrow and check those out. thank you so much.
i cant even believe theres one in my tank! At first i was excited then i thought about fireworms, so i looked them up, and lo and behold, fireworm. I read that they can release their venemous spines into the water, and it can be quite painful. My hands are in my tank every other day, and i dont want my poor fishies to get stung either!

 

[afishyonados]

It's like grabbing handfuls of fiberglass. You should only have to worry about that if you are handling the rockwork or substrate. Or the worm...
If you do end up with spines, duct tape placed over affected areas, then ripped off will remove spines. The ones that are not removed generally take a week or two for your body to dissolve and or absorb.

 

[drummerj]

fiberglass= no fun. I did read about the tape, but yikes lol. Im going to be handling rockwork in a few days because my new chunk of live rock is about done being cured, and i want it under stuff. ahhgg. lol i love the quote, afishyonados if only my fish would say that.....

 

[afishyonados]

"In my belly!"

 

[drummerj]

hahahaha

 

[stevefromga2000]

i had a ton of fireworms in my tank when i started out. the way that i got rid of them was by feeding less. i was feeding 2 times every day, and they were growing like mad fire. now, i only feed once every other day, and i haven't seen any during my water changes for the last two or three.

 

[severum mama]

drummerj- a pair of these would surely help you avoid spines.
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idProduct=ES09505

 

[drummerj]

steve i did start feeding less, and since then ive only seen one fireworm, as opposed to the several i saw last week. im also looking at a wrasse, but im not sure if i should put more fish in the tank. At the moment there is a blue damsel, a percula clown, a bi-colored blenny, a neon blenny, and a watchman goby.

 

[FishAddict]

ouch!, jeff sry to hear about that..we need to hang out soon!

 

[drummerj]

you bet man, give me a call any time this week after 1! you can check out how the tanks grown (and all the lovely fireworms)