I'm trying to catch a massive bristleworm!

[Chrille26]

Hi! So I have this, at least in my opinion, huge bristleworm lurking within my rockwork. Its sneaky, really fast, paranoid of everything and I want it gone!
Two nights in a row now I have been standing on a stool with kitchen tongs waiting for that perfect moment when its out enough for me to grab it and pull it out, but I fail everytime. It picks up my movements when getting close and it shoots inside the rock where it lives.
I cant remove the rock its in due to corals and it is also a baserock for my rockwork so I would have to take it all apart to remove it. My question is, how do I catch this 12 inch nasty worm? Is there a known way to trap a worm this large? It wont fit through a strawtrap due to the strawsize, and I am not sure this skittish beast would even dare venture into a trap, it seems to stay close to home.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[User1]

Leave it alone. They make excellent clean up crews eating left over food and other stuff.

Edit: You can leave it alone I mean . Not saying it as LEAVE IT ALONE! Just a suggestion to do so

 

[DeniseAndy]

There are traps for them. Easy DIY ones too. I have never done it, so no direct experience. Unless you count getting hit by them a few times.
Goggle bristle worm traps. Tons pop up.

 

[Chrille26]

I dont mind the small ones but when they get to this size Im not comfortable having it around, I have seen it grab left over pellets so I know it does a good job but personally I just find it nasty when they get this big.

 

[Gablami]

Ah, captain Ahab and his whale.

In my experience, kitchen tongs will not work. You need tweezers or a fine clamp to get into the rock to pull it out.

I’ve also used traps (before when I used to care), and you’d be surprised what a bristleworm can fit through. Their diameter shrink and expand readily as they get longer and shorter. Make the bottle trap and you may catch your white whale!

 

[sp1187]

pvc with end caps.
drill holes large enough for the worm.
bait.
place in proximity to its known lair.
or contact these guys.

 

[Chrille26]

Thanks for the replies! I will give the classic trap with straws another go, if that doesnt work I will definitely give the Deadliest catch crew a shot!

 

[Darren in Tacoma]

I'm with ya dude. I don't care how beneficial they are are, they are not cool unless you are running a creepy crawly tank. Good luck and may the force be with you.