WTH is this in my tank?? [Archive] - Reef Central Online Community

Idyfohu

09/08/2006, 07:05 PM

I got some live rock from a local enthusiast and last night after my timer turned my lights off, I decided to turn on my light for a few moments. Lo and behold I see some purple tentacle looking things poking out of a rock...slowly this creature continues to slide out and out and out and out and the result is/was a worm thing over 12" in length. What is this?? Is it bad? Worth much money? Any info is appreciated as it was and still is shocking/creepy!

It's completely purple despite the pictures...dark purple!

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/8465/img2256gc0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/4747/img2258fd2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/4426/img2260oa2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Kent E

09/08/2006, 07:25 PM

It may be a euclid worm but I'm not one of those crazy worm people. If that correct, its bad, very bad. You may want to check this out oregonreef.com . He had a slight worm problem.

graveyardworm

09/08/2006, 08:39 PM

http://reefcentral.com/images/welcome.gif

Kent, I believe you meant to say Eunice worm, I agree. You can find some info on them here (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/rs/index.php)

Idyfohu

09/08/2006, 09:05 PM

Great!

It's nasty and huge...

Since I want to get it out of my tank...who would want something like this anyways...what is the best method of catching this thing? With a net? Help!!!

graveyardworm

09/08/2006, 09:08 PM

You could try a local university or college they may be interested if you cant find a home with another reefer.

spoonerville

09/08/2006, 11:58 PM

if you know which rock it's in, take the rock out and do a freshwater dip for a few mins..it would usually come out...then grab it..and do with it whatever you want :D

kmk2307

09/09/2006, 11:27 AM

An invertebrate zoology course (like mine!) would love to have that specimen. We preserve them in formalin and then store them in ethanol for students to use when studying that group. If you would be willing to donate it, please PM me.

LeslieH

09/09/2006, 12:17 PM

Kent, I believe you meant to say "one of those wonderful worm people"...... ;)

Just to confirm, it is a polychaete in the family Eunicidae probably in the genus Eunice, and at that size it's capable of doing a lot of damage to your critters.

09/09/2006, 04:46 PM

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8110323#post8110323 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LeslieH
Kent, I believe you meant to say "one of those wonderful worm people"...... ;)

Just to confirm, it is a polychaete in the family Eunicidae probably in the genus Eunice, and at that size it's capable of doing a lot of damage to your critters.

:lol: Beauty is definately in the eye of the beholder.

I could probably have a tank of 'bugs' and be happy.

55semireef

09/10/2006, 03:13 PM

OMG that is freaky. What was your reaction when you saw it at first glance? BTW, GET IT OUT. :)

venwu225

09/10/2006, 04:35 PM

I will provide a great home for it and not just perserve it for studying!!

Please let me have it and keep it ALIVE!!

They are actually very delicate animals, so you would want to use a net to CAREFULLY and GENTLELY remove the worm. Or it may break into pieces.

Is it hinding in the rock work now? Or do you have it isolated?

I will pay shipping of course.

thanks

55semireef

09/10/2006, 04:37 PM

Idyfohu

09/10/2006, 07:01 PM

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8117271#post8117271 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by venwu225
I will provide a great home for it and not just perserve it for studying!!

Please let me have it and keep it ALIVE!!

They are actually very delicate animals, so you would want to use a net to CAREFULLY and GENTLELY remove the worm. Or it may break into pieces.

Is it hinding in the rock work now? Or do you have it isolated?

I will pay shipping of course.

thanks

My initial reaction was *** is that thing? Yah...there is no doubt about it that the worm is creepy, especially when you know that you handled the rock with bare hands before hand with no idea that that creature was lurking inside of the rock.

I have no idea where it is now, I assume it's in a rock and I've been checking at night to see where it is at. I'll try to be careful, but I just want it out of my tank...if I break it, although some might be mad, I don't care too much as long as it's out.

Once/If I get the SOB out then I will definitely post updated pictures and the process.

venwu225

09/11/2006, 02:24 AM

they can't hurt you really. they have a pair of jaws and at worst will give you a tiny pinch.

55semireef

09/11/2006, 04:36 PM

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8120171#post8120171 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by venwu225
they can't hurt you really. they have a pair of jaws and at worst will give you a tiny pinch.

yeah but that would still fream me out. I mean a cockroach can't hurt you but if one crawled on you, you would jump. :lol:

venwu225

09/11/2006, 11:08 PM

don't be a wuss. : P

boomsticks

09/12/2006, 10:42 AM

Cocka-Roaches in live rock!?! YAAAAAAAAAAHH!

mr. bojangsjang

09/12/2006, 03:39 PM

Odd question, but are those the things you find when you dig in the sand at the beach? When I was little I always went to hampton beach in new hampshire and dig really deep holes in the sand, and when you dug deep enough i would always find worm things that looked like that.

graveyardworm

09/12/2006, 03:56 PM

I love Hampton beach, I spend as much time on the coast as I can. I belive they are the same family, but obviously one is tropical and the other is temperate. They make good fish bait just watch out for the pincers.

55semireef

09/12/2006, 07:16 PM

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8129150#post8129150 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by boomsticks
Cocka-Roaches in live rock!?! YAAAAAAAAAAHH!

No not in the liverock. I was just talking about in general.

rekn

09/12/2006, 08:56 PM

do you have a pic of it? ive been tinkering with the idea of a eunicid tank and if it actually is a eunicid id take it off your hands

55semireef

09/13/2006, 04:24 PM

kmk2307

09/13/2006, 06:06 PM

If someone wants to keep it alive as a pet I'm all for it. I just didn't want to see it go to waste down the drain.

Kevin

rekn

09/13/2006, 06:08 PM

i had a science teacher who had a head of one in a jar, ever since then ive wanted one alive heh and yes it would be a pet in a species tank, probably next to my peacock mantis =)

55semireef

09/13/2006, 06:30 PM

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8139841#post8139841 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kmk2307
If someone wants to keep it alive as a pet I'm all for it. I just didn't want to see it go to waste down the drain.

Kevin

I agree.

55semireef

09/13/2006, 06:31 PM

BTW, in the third picture, I see an orange bristleworm.

boomsticks

09/14/2006, 07:07 AM

The ones found at Rye/Hampton beach are called "clam worms" and they look very similar to the one in the picture except they are blueish green and have "paddles" instead of bristles. I had one in my Lobster tank for a while but either the flounder or the lobster ate him.

graveyardworm

09/14/2006, 12:06 PM

Another NH reefer. :) I usually just call them sand worms. I never noticed paddles on the ones I fish with, just soft hair-like appendages.

venwu225

09/15/2006, 01:12 AM

Any news on locating the worm? : D

TellyFish

09/15/2006, 01:33 AM

Anyone know if the Palolo-Eunice worms are ok to leave in the tank? I have one that is a cool purple and bright orange tentacles... but do they get as big and dangerous as the fat/black regular eunice worms?

Idyfohu

09/19/2006, 12:01 AM

No luck yet...

I have an inkling (sp?) that it's in my sump with my bioballs.

What's the bidding up to now? :)

venwu225

09/19/2006, 10:13 AM

what bidding?

I have first dibs right?

Idyfohu

10/19/2008, 11:09 PM

I'm going to bump this thread and let everyone know that this stupid scary worm is still lurking in my tank as I saw it earlier today, but didn't see the length (I'm sure after two years it's grown like crazy). It didn't look any thicker, but now is in my main tank, rather than my sump in the back.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to get it out? Fortunately it to my knowledge as never harmed my coral or fish, but it's SOOO creepy and might kill my inverts as well.

I'm thinking some bottle type setup with fish food/bait that will somehow close...ya, basically I have no idea.

Help, because I want the thing out. I'm freaking out just thinking about the thing...yes, I'm being a wuss. ;)

Idyfohu

10/19/2008, 11:11 PM

BTW, the worm lurks near the back of my tank under crevices and hasn't been in plain site like the original pictures since.

It looks from what I've seen to be extremely fast as well, so even if I were up for a stake-out and waited, I doubt a net would be likely to catch this creature.

wetjet43

10/20/2008, 08:26 PM

Get a 1.5 clear tube that's about 5' long and siphon it out. I've removed many critters from my tank that way. The suction is so strong that they didn't even know what hit them. Using tweezers may hurt it. Unless it's new home is the porcelain throne and you don't care....

Careful though, a 1.5" tube will fill a 5gal water bottle in about 20 seconds. Make sure to stop the suction before the water gets to the top of the bottle... (learned that the hard way)

Idyfohu

10/20/2008, 10:22 PM

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13586931#post13586931 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wetjet43
Get a 1.5 clear tube that's about 5' long and siphon it out. I've removed many critters from my tank that way. The suction is so strong that they didn't even know what hit them. Using tweezers may hurt it. Unless it's new home is the porcelain throne and you don't care....

Careful though, a 1.5" tube will fill a 5gal water bottle in about 20 seconds. Make sure to stop the suction before the water gets to the top of the bottle... (learned that the hard way)

Ah, that's a great idea and if it doesn't work then obviously I just repeat and try again. I'll definitely have to try this method out possibly over the weekend. If it does indeed work, I'll post pictures and go from there.

Thanks for the advice!

TrappedMetal

10/21/2008, 12:05 AM

You need to get this out, they can take fish and big chunks out of corals!

tanyashankles

10/30/2008, 12:49 AM

Well I saw that pick and nearly jumped out of my skin, so wuss or not, Im with you, YUCK. If I woke up to that in MY tank, The whole tank would be dissassembled and I would be goggled, rubber gloved, and aproned...lol. Gave me the eebie jeebies. Like a centipede or something...Sorry, not a fan of gross things, I can handle just about anything that the reef throws at me (the one in my living room that is) but I cant even stand to touch a bristle worm. That thing is gonna be in my nightmares tonight...

Airwolf75

10/30/2008, 01:36 AM

way cool looking worm

plateboy3293

10/30/2008, 08:56 AM

What about if you get a glass bottle with a funnel on the end. You put a piece of shrimp in the back of the bottle and tie a string or fishing line to the neck of the bottle. Then you put the bottle in the tank and wait and when the entire or more than 3/4 of the worm is in there pull the bottle out with the string. This worked for me when I found a couple of large bristles in my tank that I wanted in my sump.

13threefmaniac

10/30/2008, 02:42 PM

Do you have zoanthids in your tank? I read somewhere that they love snacking on Zoas so you could use a bottle with a funnel on top and use some zoas as bait. It worked for me when i was working at an LFS.