This morning I walked over to the wife's 55gal softy tank, shined my flashlight into it and saw a GIANT, nightmare inducing bristle worm. I don't know how long it is but I assume it is about 487 feet long. LOL. OK maybe that is a slight exaggeration. I can honestly tell you that it is olive drab green and as big around as my feather duster or pinkie finger. I saw about 6 inches of it as it went inside a piece of Pukani at the base of my rock. I have never seen one this big in my 10 years except online. I have never had a problem with bristle worms either. I believe they are a vital part of a CUC but I want him/her out. Am I overreacting? Thoughts and ideas are welcome. John
I bought 1 flat piece of live rock from the Fish Tank back in September. That's what seeded my tank and gave me the annoying red flatworms and bubble algae. I noticed those two pests within days and I am slowly winning the war on both. Until they are gone, I refuse to frag out of that tank. That is the only thing live that wasn't dipped prior to going in the tank.
I had the bad luck of getting a peacock mantis shrimp In my 75 when I first got in the hobby took me and my brother a month to find what rock he was hiding in and took that rock out and finally got him. That being said u might have the same luck if ur sure what rock he going in u could take that rock out and just leave it out for a few days . Everything I read on them thou they are in the cucumber family and are really good part of a clean up crew other than when they die
I have a yellow corris wrasse in that tank. I don't see any more flatworms but I know they are still there because I still see them in the sump. I kill them when I see them. Once I no longer see them I will use flatworm exit. Regarding the worm, he lives in a large rock at the bottom of my stack. He couldn't have picked a worse location to hide. Lol
Those flat worms are a headache to get an far as the sump u could put another fish down there that eats them to help control both the top and bottom
That doesn't sound like the pictures of medusa worms that I've seen. That sounds more like a eucinid worm which are predatory. I had a small one that came in on my live rock. I'll try to find a picture of him.
Here's a picture of the one I found. If it's one of these guys be careful taking him out and try not to break him in to pieces. Each piece will become a new worm. As you can see in the picture there was a piece broken off of mine I had to find several days later.
I saw it again this morning. It's about 487 feet long. Seriously though, there was at least 5 inches of him out of the rock. He is big and green.
I caught the beast. Every one that has seen a bristle worms knows that their size can be deceiving. A very large worm can shrink quite small when defensive and you are trying to grab it or a small worm can get quite large when hungry and extended. Well here it is in all its deception sitting in the bottom of a solo cup. It's almost 3 inches long when compressed and almost the diameter if a pencil.
David, It is the largest bristle worm that I have ever caught. I caught one slightly smaller last week in the same tank but I knew it wasn't the right one. I think I have the right monster now. Normally I leave them alone but this one was too big for my comfort. John
I have one that comes out during feeding time. He has to be as fat as a sharpie marker and about 12" long. I have learned over the years that anything that depends on a sand bed I cant keep and anything that sleeps there is prey. Also, he has a den of snail shells that he will take up and eat so snails eventually end up in the beasts lair. He doesnt bother Hermits, and Narsarius snails can usually avoid him by burrowing but I have given up trying to catch him, he has just become part of my live stock.
