Sea monster in my reef tank

MUSBFRANK · Dec 30, 2015

Geez you guys stop acting like little girls, just build a simple funnel type trap and remove it, it's not going to crawl out the tank and kill the whole family. This worm didn't grow over night, it's been there awhile and probably has a friend or two lurking as well.

Lionfish Lair · Dec 30, 2015

This guy is indeed a common bristleworm, the Eurythoe complanata. They once weren't too common and now they seem to be in every ones tanks. One thing they have that you can see in the video is a caruncle. These guys get a "watch it" because when they get big, they get bold and are strong. Their bristles will get you easily if you brush against them. The smaller orange bristleworms, the other common one, you can bounce those in your hand without getting stuck. Try that with these monsters. O.O I've had tug-o-war matches with these guys and I really hate it when they climb on the fish when it's food time. When they reach a certain size, I just like to pull them out whenever I get the opportunity. I don't go through any great lengths to do so, however.

I guess I'm not familiar with how little girls act, because all I see is a conversation going on. Is this pot shot night or something?

Here's a still from the video where you can see the caruncle. It's definitely not a Hermodice carunculata. You win an award for the size of that beast. Impressive.

claffa · Dec 30, 2015

Good cuc...hes a beaut

TheEngineer · Dec 30, 2015

NanaReefer said:
Just gotta know where to look. Does this satisfy you?

http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhiker.shtml

My question is what did you see in the video that makes you certain? Bristle worm IDs are pretty tough unless you see the mouth up close, IME. I'm interested in what you saw so I can learn from it.

@Lionfish Lair provided the details, so no need to now.

adestafi · Dec 30, 2015

IMO- this is equivalent to a spider. Which means you will need To go full battle rattle, a case of beer & some dynamite.

BradB · Dec 30, 2015

I'd keep it, cool animal

Shell · Dec 30, 2015

It is a fire worm and I would remove him, he could bore holes in your corals.

Wiz · Dec 30, 2015

I guess I'm not familiar with how little girls act, because all I see is a conversation going on. Is this pot shot night or somethin?

Right!

mbakeroo · Dec 30, 2015

I too have one that is over a foot long that I want out. This is just a SMALL piece of him in the picture. He shares the cave with the goby and pistol shrimp. Think it it bothering some of my corals at night, my zoas are not doing well which is odd. I rarely see him and he has ignorned the funnel type trap over and over. Any opinions on what they type of bait they can't resist?

Wichbeast · Dec 30, 2015

My tank has worms too! I got lucky the first time I seen them and was able to get one out with the net. The other one retracted into the rock.
I've built traps and deploy these nightly for 2 weeks. So far I've only trapped one small one on the first night I deployed the trap. I know I still have at least 3 more. One of good size. I never see them all the way out of the rock except that first night.

Naiad · Dec 30, 2015

I got a monster in my fresh live rock. It is really amazing how big they can get. Other than their bristles they are completely harmless to healthy individuals. That being said they will steal food from other inhabitants once they learn that they are safe from predation. Mine will come out in broad daylight now...

DeadheadSC · Dec 30, 2015

Wichbeast said:
My tank has worms too! I got lucky the first time I seen them and was able to get one out with the net. The other one retracted into the rock.
I've built traps and deploy these nightly for 2 weeks. So far I've only trapped one small one on the first night I deployed the trap. I know I still have at least 3 more. One of good size. I never see them all the way out of the rock except that first night.

You should probably leave these guys in your tank.

Rob's Reef · Dec 30, 2015

Crazy! I haven't seen one that big... I showed my wife and she said "Oh F... That!" lol

Anyways if you do want it out of the DT maybe throw him in your sump to keep it clean??? I know the rocks in my sump could use one of those crawling around keeping it clean.

Lionfish Lair · Dec 30, 2015

Wichbeast said:
.

As said, that's a good guy. It's a Linopherus sp. Many say they're a Eurythoe sp, but it's not. You can see the little eyeballs looking at you with these guys.

slapshot · Dec 31, 2015

sjflowerhorn said:
That thing scared me and I'm on the other side of a screen separating us by several states I'm sure. It makes me think of all the times I separated the shipments of liverock with my bare hands and I cringe. It makes the hairs on my neck stand up.

Trust me it is scarier in person. Truly one of the grosses things I ever saw. Plus you know why they call it a Bobbit it worm? Let's just say you don't want it reaching your lap while you are separating that live rock!!!! A crazy animal though. When I found his lair it was full of acro frags. I watched him eat a cap like an ear of corn. Just munch the end half way around then go back to the beginning and do it again.

saltyhog · Dec 31, 2015

Cool critter. Here is a Bobbit worm I got out of my tank in the first few days. He came on some maricultured live rock.

therman · Feb 27, 2016

FWIW the big silvery iridescent bristle worms are the only thing I have ever seen suck down Dictyota. Also seen them inhaling sheets of cyanobacteria. I consider them one of the best things to have in a tank.