Reef Discussion

[MichelleShocked]

I realised last week that I have a coral-eating Eunice worm in my tank. I have been observing it in its tunnel & I even got to see it moving large bits of rubble about & disgorging rubbish from its mouth, out of its tunnel.
I was worried though because it was not interested in the several hundred amphipods that shared its home which suggested to me that it was, indeed, a coral-eating worm.
A quick google confirmed my suspicions a yesterday the beast itself revealed its nature - it had eaten a slab out of the side of my new Favia. The Favia seemed unperturbed, unlike myself. So i took action tonight & smashed up the dead coral it was inhabiting & removed the beast.
It was interesting in its own way but as it dines on the very corals i adore, it HAD to go.
It measured 11.5cm & was aggressive to my finger so i'm glad i got it out now. Thats a meat skewer i'm poking it with too Think i'll pop it in the freezer so it can have a quick painless passing. Though my cat seems determined to play with it :(

 

[MichelleShocked]

Actually, the Eunice worm that is commonly called the Bobbit Worm is not the one i'v pictured above. The coral-eating Eunice has long facial whiskers & lives in tunnels its made in dead corals. The Bobbit Worm (have a guess why its named that....) lives in tunnels it excavates in the sand &, much like a Spearer Mantis, erupts from its hole & ambushes its prey as it swims over. Its has a MONSTROUS set a vicious jaws that it uses to slice its prey in half (Bobbit....get it now? Lol!!)

 

[Agent M]

Cool little critter, good spot. If you want to get something out of your live rock, get a bucket of fresh tap water, put the rock in and hang over the bucket in eager anticipation of seeing your beastie come flying out into open water. Once its out, take the rock out. Should take less than a minute.

If you see anything desirable come out, complete a rescue operation and put back in your tank.

 

[MichelleShocked]

Thanks, @Agent M - I had read that you can dip it in FW or even RO water to remove the offender but the bit of coral was swarming with a huge amphipod colony as well and I wanted to keep those so I put the chunk of coral in some salt water, smashed up the bit, removed the worm then tipped the rest back in the tank. The amphipods seemed to think it was 9/11 all over again and rushed about the tank, looking for kith, kin and shelter......though probably just shelter....;)

 

[chimaera]

I have a couple of these in my nano ... not sure what they arrived on but it seemed to coincide with the frags I added from the VIC frag meet.

Both fairly small and I haven't noticed them damage anything yet ... they always make an appearance for 'dinner' though (aka NLS pellets), dragging the pellets back into their little tunnel.

I probably should try to remove them at some point ...