Medusa worm infestation

Angryminer_07 · Nov 26, 2018

I need some help here. My tanks little less than 3 mths. A couple of weeks ago, I noticed a couple odd creatures in my tank. I removed one and got it ID’d on the critter board. Thought my issue was solved. I’ve been looking desperately for now lost gramma and not only did I not find it. I find my rock is covered in small Medusa worms. I pulled out two larger ones below but there’s no way I can get out the rest. They are all over the place. What is there to do? To say I’m bummed is an understatement. I used all dry rock except for a tiny piece of it rock ~2 inches in my sump to seed corraline.

GoldeneyeRet · Nov 27, 2018

That's awesome!

reef lover · Nov 27, 2018

I wouldnt think it was much of a problem. Do yoj find them unsightly?

horsefarm5 · Nov 27, 2018

Do they cause damage in any way?
Or just not wanted

Angryminer_07 · Nov 27, 2018

reef lover said:
I wouldnt think it was much of a problem. Do yoj find them unsightly?

Guess it’s more of the numbers of them that’s concerning. It seems that one had babies. You shine the light on the rocks st night and see the little heads and tentacles out all over the dang place.

Angryminer_07 · Nov 27, 2018

reef lover said:
I wouldnt think it was much of a problem. Do yoj find them unsightly?

Aren’t they toxic if damaged or eaten by crabs?

It’s also the fear of the unknown. I’ve tried so hard to keep out hitchhikers and now I have them everywhere. I have no idea how they got there and who knows what else is lurking. With the disappearance of my gramma, I’m just worried.

horsefarm5 · Nov 27, 2018

I once had an outbreak of some kind of worm when I first started.
The tank was 2 or 3 years old... no problems... one night shined a light on tank.... thousands of small worms swimming in water column..... never saw even again... next morning you would have never known

reef lover · Nov 27, 2018

Medusas are only mildly toxic as i understand no so bad as a cuke . I myself wouldnt be worries about them and think theyre neat. You could always add an appropriate sized wrasse to help keep pop. down.

Angryminer_07 · Nov 27, 2018

reef lover said:
Medusas are only mildly toxic as i understand no so bad as a cuke . I myself wouldnt be worries about them and think theyre neat. You could always add an appropriate sized wrasse to help keep pop. down.

Awesome. I’ll quit worrying. I don’t mind the little ones as much as those 2 big ones. When stretched they are like 4-6”. Freaks me out a little bit and gives me the willies.

wom001 · Nov 27, 2018

I think you can sell them as well btw. They pair with emperor shrimp

Muttley000 · Nov 27, 2018

If you were local to me I'd buy a couple!

Angryminer_07 · Nov 27, 2018

Here’s one in action

Angryminer_07 · Nov 27, 2018

Muttley000 said:
If you were local to me I'd buy a couple!

Slide on down to Texas and get you some! They’re hard to catch. They get down in those crevices so fast.

reef lover · Nov 28, 2018

Who would have thought they'd use that to move with!! Wow!

Tft12 · Oct 5, 2019

@Angryminer_07 What happened with your Medusa worm infestation? I found a baby one that looked similar to yours in a shipping bag with an urchin.

Angryminer_07 · Oct 5, 2019

Tft12 said:
@Angryminer_07 What happened with your Medusa worm infestation? I found a baby one that looked similar to yours in a shipping bag with an urchin.

Slowly disappeared over a couple of months after i posted about them. Haven’t seen one in about 4 months. I didn’t really do anything to them.

Tft12 · Oct 5, 2019

Angryminer_07 said:
Slowly disappeared over a couple of months after i posted about them. Haven’t seen one in about 4 months. I didn’t really do anything to them.

Oh that's great news. I ordered some urchins and found a small medusa worm in one of the shipping bags, about 1" long. I put that one into a bucket but then I started worrying that I maybe I had missed one/a couple stuck in the bristles of the other urchins that were added to my tank.

What size were the small ones?
So you didn't have any more fish loss than the Gramma?
You can't find any medusa worms when you inspect your tank at night now?

Thanks for your help.

Angryminer_07 · Oct 5, 2019

Tft12 said:
Oh that's great news. I ordered some urchins and found a small medusa worm in one of the shipping bags, about 1" long. I put that one into a bucket but then I started worrying that I maybe I had missed one/a couple stuck in the bristles of the other urchins that were added to my tank.

What size were the small ones?
So you didn't have any more fish loss than the Gramma?
You can't find any medusa worms when you inspect your tank at night now?

Thanks for your help.

Largest was about 1.5 inches but could stretch quite a bit longer. The small ones were just a few millimeters long.

No more fish losses and I actually found the gramma in my overflow 9 months after it’s disapperance!!!! I check my tank at night frequently and do not see any.

MeanGull · Nov 5, 2019

Silly question, but I just have to know... was the gramma alive?

Angryminer_07 · Nov 6, 2019

MeanGull said:
Silly question, but I just have to know... was the gramma alive?

That dude is alive and kicking. Living his best life in the over flow. I make sure it’s still doing well and well fed 1-2 times a week. I’m afraid if I could even get him out, I’d kill it or my other gramma will.