removing a euniced (bobbit) worm

[seanbond007]

Has anyone succesfully removed a euniced worm? If so, what method was used?


Thanks,
s

[romunov]

You'll have to stand guard with tweezers. They're fast, though.

[steveweast]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=749548



or........



http://www.oregonreef.com/sub_worm.htm

[kmk2307]

If you catch it without destroying it, you may want to try to donate it to a university's invertebrate zoology program / course... such as mine :-)

[kmk2307]

I was hoping someone who had been successful would pitch in but here's an idea. Could you put a soda bottle with some sand in the bottom to weigh it down with its mouth facing near the animal's burrow and bait it with something?

GL,
Kevin

[steveweast]

There's only one way to "completely" remove these predatory worms.....and that is to remove the worm's lair while it's still inside.....whatever that lair is....a rock....a pipe.... whatever. These things are so strong and so fast.....that if you are lucky enough to tweezer it, you'll just break it. I've tried the bottle thing.....tweezering......etc.....nothing works. These worms are never fully out of their lairs, so that they're never in the open completely.... they just pop their head out....nibble a few corals over here.....retract.....come out partially again....nibble a few rics over there...... etc. They are also extremely light sensitive....including red light..... catching it whole is just not a practical solution. It's Achillles heal is its having a lair that it retreats to daily. Just determine its lair..... which doesn't change until it runs out of food.....and remove that lair with the worm inside the next day while it is napping.....even if that means that you have to break down a significant portion of the reef. In my case.....I wasn't even sure that I had him....until I pulverized the basketball sized rock on the garage floor that I determined was his lair. He was so contorted in that rock that even pulverized....I had a hard time getting him out for a photo shoot.

[sherm71tank]

Can someone post a pic of this worms head? I saw a worm yesterday in my tank that does not look like any bristleworm I have ever seen. It looked more like an armor plated millipede than a bristleworm and very scary looking.

[steveweast]

The head...........



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/steveweast/worm2.jpg

[sherm71tank]

I did some searching and it looks like mine is a funglid ( not sure on the spelling) type. But there is an assortment of empty snail shells around where I saw it peeking out from the rock. Any help/pics appreciated.

[LeslieH]

Funglid type? Never heard of this. Where did you find this name? I'd love some more information.

[sherm71tank]

Sorry, it is Oenone fulgida - I think - And it definately gives me the creeps.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/rs/index.php
I really don't want to take my rock down to get this guy, naturally he is at the very bottom of the tank.

[garf]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6564966#post6564966 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kmk2307
If you catch it without destroying it, you may want to try to donate it to a university's invertebrate zoology program / course... such as mine :-)

hey, would you take a donation of a large piece of LR with the worm in it? I also have the same problem, except mine is of genus Eunice. Traps, 15 minute Freshwater dip, stakeouts with tweezers, nothing will get this sucker.

I am torn between getting rid of it and keeping it, it is pretty cool looking. I have seen it nip at corals, though all of mine are doing well, with the exception of a small xenia frag (kinda disapeared, and I know I saw him munch on that).

He is reddish orange in color, 5 antenea, and killer jaws that extend outward from inward if ya get my meaning. Reminiscent of Alien, and it freaks my wife out so it may have to go. He also travels between my two largest pieces of LR, and with my luck, he would vacate the rock as I am removing it and appear in the other piece.

If you are interested in it, let me know. I will have to find a large (well, large in comparison to my NC 6g) piece of established LR to replace it. I am also relatively local, in the Chicago area.

[garf]

After seeing the worm bite my new finger leather, I decided to do the only proven method of removal- take rock out of the tank.

Took a hammer to the piece, sad as it was really purple. Quartered it up, and I got lucky on the last split. There it was, a small loop tight against the rock. Several splits later, the back end was free, then kept going. The result is the worm is gone, I have three medium pieces of LR, and a bit more rubble in the back chamber.

Tools: Claw hammer, large screwdriver, needlenose pliers, tweezers, and headlamp. Trying to take pictures, I illuminated the clear plastic tray I was trying to take the pictures in, and I got a couple cool pics where you can kinda make out the innards.

http://www.garfnet.com/fish/worm1.jpg


http://www.garfnet.com/fish/worm2.jpg

If anyone is interested in full resolution pics, here are some links:

Worm1 (http://www.garfnet.com/fish/IMG_2285.jpg)
Worm2 (http://www.garfnet.com/fish/IMG_2287.jpg)
'Back Lit' (http://www.garfnet.com/fish/IMG_2282.jpg)
Back Lit 2 (http://www.garfnet.com/fish/IMG_2284.jpg)

[capncapo]

All I get is "Page not found".

EDIT: For some reason, the picture "magically" appeared so maybe the links DO work.