Not your average bristleworm thread

[Jon_Hewett_85]

Now for the most part I feel like bristle worms are a beneficial part our eco-system in a glass box, being beneficial scavengers. I have seen some pretty large ones in tanks, but it has never given me cause for concern. Until now. I am starting to wonder if I have a fireworm on my hands. I am working on getting a picture, but have so far been unsuccessful. So back-story I have recently noticed that I seem to have something in my 40g that likes to munch on corals. It seems to mainly prey on fresh frags, for the most part not bothering larger colonies. I have noticed some asterina like starfish and a particular type of amphipod that I have caught on affected pieces, although it is possible they were “cleaning up” after the damage had been done. It has not been confined to a specific type of coral as I have seen damage on several different kinds, but LPS seem to be particularly appetizing.

So yesterday as I’m peering into the tank, I spy this worm that is easily over a foot long and is as big around as my finger. And he wasn’t just poking out of a rock searching for a morsel; he is cruising around in broad daylight. The 6-line wrasse came over to investigate and turned and fled after the worm turned around to investigate him when he got w/in a few inches. I have googled pictures and so far I haven’t been able to make a concrete determination one way or the other. I would like to capture this creature that I have dubbed “The Kracken” so that I can make a positive ID and take appropriate steps. I would like to make the actual capture without killing it, so that I can isolate it and take some good photos. I have read up on several methods for trapping bristeworms ranging from PVC traps to entangling them in panty-hose. I also have a pair of steel kitchen tongs by the tank in case I catch it in the open. Does anyone have any experience in capturing the large ones? I have identified the rock it lives in (which is unfortunately holding up a large portion of my rock structure and has corals attached. I'm really hoping this is just a large bristleworm.

[Peter T]

Hmm, is it possible that you have a eunicid worm? I have read that those can be pretty predatory. Figure 4 in the link I have attached in this post shows a picture of a eunicid worm. I don't have any experience removing giant worms, but I had an oenone fulgida worm in my tank for over a year. I finally found out its home and pulled the rock he was living in out and flushing him out. Good luck on your worm ID :)

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/rs/index.php

edit: Here is another link to help you identify the worm that you have:
http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchworms.html

[Jon_Hewett_85]

I do not believe it is a eunicid worm. Of the predatory Hermodice carunculata seems to be the closest match. Some of the pictures I have found look like mine, and some do not, It's a tough call. I think pictures are going to be necessary so the experts can weigh in. Also, a note on the coral bites: this tank did not have any fish in it for quite some time so the tank was not getting fed much. Another tank plumbed into the system was but this one was not. After a period of time w/ little feeding is when I started noticing the issue. Also, this was all rock that came out of an established tank someone was breaking down, so who knows what the original source was.