worm help

[lukasnca]

So I found this worm in my rock today that's pretty big. I was trying to take a picture of it when it suddenly extended out of its hole and trade to grab my anemone. It didn't hold onto it long and went back into its hole. There was a big patch of Xenias beside its hole and now they are all gone. At first I suspected crabs, then a hitchhiker crab but now I'm pretty sure that its this worm. At some point I tried to inject kalk into its hole hoping to dispose of it (a few weeks ago) but that didn't work. Its very quick and pretty big -- about 1/2" across and had at least 4" sticking out of its hole so I think that its at least double that. I placed a trap made out of a bottle near its hole but its located higher up in the rock and I somehow doubt that this will work. Any other suggestions?

 

[jamal-188]

It's probably a bristle worm which should not be harmful to your tank. They feed off detritus.

 

[WarOrks15]

and zoo mine ate a good part of my rock of zoo before i got him out of the tank/ i saw him in the act too

 

[lukasnca]

i know that most bristle worms are good but this one wasn't. he was big and made a good meal of my xenias. the funny thing is that he started coming out during the day too -- everything that i read indicated that they are only nocturnal.

anyway, i asked the owner of the lfs and he suggested that i either do a freshwater dip or break the rock apart. i tried the freshwater dip but he didn't come out so i broke a piece of the rock off. luckily he was near the very edge so i got him out. the worm was about 10" in length. the owner of the lfs said that once they get a taste for corals there's no going back.

anyway ... he's out ... hopefully i won't have any problems with the smaller worms ...