Medusa Worm Problem.

[Kjgaeta]

Hello, I have a Red Sea Reefer 750XXL. Tank is about 6 months old and I have a Medusa Worm infestation. It is a reef tank with 5 total fishes. The Medusa worms seem to be everywhere and population keeps on increasing. I don’t know the best way to get rid of them and was wondering if anybody had any ideas.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yikes. While they are a good sifter of bedding and filter feeding, they are very unwelcomed in my tanks. They are part of the sea cucumber family and have sticky skin. Removal can be accomplished with long tongs and picking them from tank.
Medusa Worms are vulnerable also to hermit crabs who prey on them and have the ability to eat through their soft tissue. . . . .
B U T . . . If they feel threatened by predators, are stressed, or injured, they secrete a toxin that can be extremely harmful to other tank mates.
Arrow crabs may also pick on them. Get them now if you can as they grow fast and somewhat large. For toxins, a combo of water changes and lab grade carbon should minimize it

 

[Kjgaeta]

I didn’t know what they were and I tried Identifying them but failed. Until a while ago I found information on them. I don’t know how they got introduced but I want to completely eradicate them. I’ve had mysterious fish deaths. One day the fishes are healthy, next today fishes are laying on there side, while looking completely healthy you could tell something was wrong.
The way I plan on goin about this is removing all Fish and Corals and inverts. I would be putting them in totes and have water circulating, with a heater and adding a hang on the back filter if needed. I would raise the temperature in the tank (have a 800w Heater) and try to put it up to essentially boil them and keep the temperature up as much as possible. Hopefully bacteria is able to withstand the heat. Not sure if this is a good idea so far.

 

[Kjgaeta]

Here is a image of some I plucked off. There are hundreds. Some are less than a millimeter big.

 

[reef lover]

Wow thats alot! Do you feed excessively?? Generally their numbers depend on available food source.

 

[Kjgaeta]

Wow thats alot! Do you feed excessively?? Generally their numbers depend on available food source.

I cycled this aquarium for 5-6 months. I used Dr. Tims One and Only, and I used their Ammonia to cycle as well. I used Dry Marco Rock and Live Sand. I also got chaeo but do not recall from whom. I was not feeding the tank at all. During the Cycle I noticed a hydroid Jelly (Not sure if that is the proper term) and more and more started to pop up after that. Reading upon that it was said they would go away on their own. Week's go by and I start to notice the Medusa Worm's. Meanwhile I was trying to ID but with no luck. I asked a few locals and several people online. No one could ID. Months go by and now I am totally infested.

 

[Kjgaeta]

I couldn't understand how they were thriving and reproducing without a actual Food Source.

 

[reef lover]

No food and started with dry rock!....no clue as to why theyve become a plague. Not sure how many gals the 750 is but id look into an appropriate sized wrasse.

 

[EMeyer]

Here is a image of some I plucked off. There are hundreds. Some are less than a millimeter big.

Amazing. I was skeptical about the ID but those tentacles really do look like sediment feeding sea cucumbers. I still think a worm of some kind more likely but can't think of one with pinnately compound tentacles like that.

You might try a low salinity treatment, all echinoderms are very sensitive to low salinity. If that's what they are.

Such a cool find!

 

[Kjgaeta]

I have a Mystery Wrasse but he refusing to get close. The fishes who have eaten them have been the 2 Tang’s I have. A Flame Fin Tomini Tang and a Gem Tang. But most of the time they just spit them right out.

 

[Kjgaeta]

Here is a picture of the Tank.

 

[Kjgaeta]

My plan is going to be transfer everything to various totes with circulation and a heater. Then I will raise the temperature of the Red Sea Tank to 90 Degrees or higher if possible and see what effect this has on them. If it does eliminate them then I will run two carbon reactors and do a mega water change because of the toxin's they release.
Hopefully this isn't too bad of an idea. Also open to other suggestions.

 

[Sophie259]

Until a while ago I found information on them. I don’t know how they got introduced but I want to completely eradicate them. I’ve had mysterious fish deaths. One day the fishes are healthy, next today fishes are laying on there side, while looking completely healthy you could tell something was wrong.
The way I plan on goin about this is removing all Fish and Corals and inverts. I would be putting them in totes and have water circulating, with a heater and adding a hang on the back filter if needed. I would raise the temperature in the tank (have a 800w Heater) and try to put it up to essentially boil them and keep the temperature up as much as possible. Hopefully bacteria is able to withstand the heat. Not sure if this is a good idea so far.

 

[Reef Monster]

I feel for you. I noticed I had medusa worm infestation during a tank break down last year. I tried plucking them off but some of them broke in half and hid inside the rocks. I gave up. Tossed my rock/ sand out. A bit dramatic but this came after 5 out of 8 fish suddenly died which was probably due to velvet but finding these things didn't help. I started a new tank so I'm trying to avoid getting them again.

 

[Kjgaeta]

Can’t see the video but yes I have already started this dreaded breakdown. Posting some images. The first is before and the rest are after.

 

[Sophie259]

Until a while ago I found information on them. I don’t know how they got introduced but I want to completely eradicate them. I’ve had mysterious fish deaths. One day the fishes are healthy, next today fishes are laying on there side, while looking completely healthy you could tell something was wrong.
The way I plan on going about this is removing all Fish and Corals and inverts. I would be putting them in totes and have water circulating, with a heater and adding a hang on the back filter if needed. I would raise the temperature in the tank (have a 800w Heater) and try to put it up to essentially boil them and keep the temperature up as much as possible. Hopefully bacteria is able to withstand the heat. mybkexperience Not sure if this is a good idea so far.

open to other suggestions.

 

[lafarrow]

did the temp increase work? Where are you in your issue. I am a rather new tank and have the same issue. They do multiply rather quickly. I read that hermit crabs like to munch on them.