Eunicid Worm

[shutterbuggy]

So the one thing that I always said would be a deal breaker for me continuing in this hobby has happened!  Today, while feeding my fish I saw for the first time a Eunicid worm.  Now I have had my suspicions that I had one, as I have noticed rock lairs being made in various areas, but it is one thing to think you have one and another to KNOW its there.  Here is the source of my anxiety for those of you who are unaware of them:

"The Great Worm Incident":

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

(it grew to 7 FEET...YUCK!)

Now in all seriousness, I am not about to leave the hobby, but I am torn as to whether I should remove him or not.  I have read in Reefkeeping Magazine that they are predominately scavengers in the home aquaria, but do I really want to sustain its life?  They truly are horrifying.  Does anybody else have them in their tank?  Is yours a friend or foe?  Also, if you did get rid of yours, how was it done?

Becky

[sniggir]

wow.. very interesting the life that comes on the LR eh

[Heidi]

ugh....that is soooooo nasty!!!  Don't get me wrong - I like the weird critters and all that but that is UNREAL.   And just plain gross if you ask me!!!

Shutterbuggy - are you sure you have one and not a large peanut worm or something like that? 

Gives me the shudders - good luck!!!

[KLKelly]

I can't even look.

[shutterbuggy]

Yes, there is no doubt that I have a Eunicid worm.  I estimate it to be about 3+ inches, and I have noticed rock lairs for sometime now.  Also, when it retracted itself to a hole in a rock, it did it so at lightning speed, another tell-tale sign.  But the one thing that has me convinced is that when I saw it this morning I noticed the 4 tentacles that surround the mouth end.

Anybody else deal with these guys???

[shutterbuggy]

Oh, and just for fun!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L78Nj6FVqoc

[Heidi]

You have my sympathy. Are you going to remove it?  Yuck - I keep having the shudders!!!!!

[shutterbuggy]

You know, I have had some bad luck in this area.  I have previously removed a Hawaiian Orange Fireworm in excess of 10 inches a few months ago, just to find out that I have at least 2 or 3 more of the same species.  They have yet to do anything naughty, but just the same they are on my hit list.  The problem that I face with removing this eunicid is that they are deadly fast!  I am really at a loss as to how I can trap it with success.  Thankfully though when I say that "I" am going to remove it, I really mean that my husband and a friend will be doing the deed.  We just bought a house and are moving March 1st, so I expect that will give us the perfect opportunity to do so. 

Seriously though, does anybody have any ideas as to how to trap this cunning monster...The longer I wait the bigger it grows!  Time is of the essence!!!!!

[KLKelly]

It sounds gross - I can't imagine the visual.

Just wondering where you think you acquired it and the fireworms?  Maybe I should ask this in a pm   I don't want anything like it ever.

[Tyler.L]

yeah i saw this a long time ago and its just crazy, doesnt make any sence whatsoever but still pretty cool

[Heidi]

I can't think of anything that would trap it that wouldn't take up space in your entire tank!! You'd need something large to get him all  in before he realized he was trapped and not back out.  I think the only thing would be to tear the tank apart BUT you would need to know what rock or rocks he hides in soooooo if you can't find him while you are tearing the tank apart you don't just put him back into your new set up and have this problem all over again. What kind of rock do you have and where did you get it from.....you got an unlucky batch since you seem to be finding all this nasty critters....
Don't get me wrong - I believe in the circle of life, everything deserves to live and all that...but not in my aquarium!!!!  I'm sure if you wanted a WOLR (worm only with live rock) that's what you would have set up!!!

Keep us posted on your "fun" and what you are going to do about your "friend".

[groan]

the one he has is only 3+ inches...a pop bottle should do the trick, with some food in the bottom

[Heidi]

Ahhhh...should record it and see what you get.....be interested in seeing it...on video of course - not up close and personal!!!   Be interesting to see if someone put it in their sump and let it grow - how big would it really grow too?  No that is NOT an offer on my part....just curious.

[shutterbuggy]

Its day 2 and a second sighting.  Not as traumatic as the first, now that I have kinda wrapped my head around the idea of the monster.  It seems to be making its appearance from one particular hole in the same rock as yesterday.  I think the plan is now to observe it for a few days, to make sure that it is calling that one place home, then we will attempt a pop bottle trap.  Should that fail, we will be dismantling the tank on March 2.  Then one of 2 things will happen: we use the club soda trick and spray some into its "home" or get rid of the rock that its in all together.  If anybody is interested in this worm for their sump or whatever, let me know.  As much as I detest the creature, I would rather not kill it if someone else is willing to put up with it.  As for video, we may just try that.  Might as well have you all come along for the ride --video style.  I think that the worm came in on some Fiji rock I bought about a 2 years ago.  I remember first seeing the little rock mounds sometime after I got the rock, so I expect that it came in as a larva, and has grown.  Meh, either way he won't be living in my tank for long.  I will keep you all posted.

Becky

You all should be proud of me.  (I would have expected myself to be curled up in the fetal position spewing incoherents right now!

[Heidi]

Sooo, I'm curious - how's the hunt???

[shutterbuggy]

Sooo, I'm curious - how's the hunt???

Well, another day another sighting.  It really isn't that big yet, so I can live with the idea of it for a bit longer.  I will try to get a pic of it over the coming days as I know you all are "dying" to see it   

As for hunting it, we are leaving that for closer to our moving day.  Either way, it is coming out then.  We're giving the pop bottle a try, and if that doesn't work when we dismantle the tank we are going to try the club soda method.  If that fails, I am just going to remove the rock altogether. 

[Heidi]

Any more sightings? Did you trap him yet?

[shutterbuggy]

I haven't seen him in days and days now.  I see little rock caves being rearranged regularly so I expect that it is alive and well.  I am moving at the end of the month so I think that I will just be removing the rock that its in (hopefully!)

You know, its strange.  I am really not horrified beyond belief of the idea of it being in my tank though.  The first time I saw a gross worm (Orange Hawaiian Fireworm 10" long) I refused to even touch anything in my tank, so my husband had to do it all.  But this time, even though its my worst nightmares (about this hobby) realized, I am actually not that bothered by it!

That being said its days are numbered!