Spaghetti worm predator needed

[9Trees29gal]

Due to a long fallow period, during which they were the only major detritivore, my tank is massively overpopulated with spaghetti worms. I have literally thousands. I am looking for suggestions on a predator that would dig them out of my sand.... I know they are beneficial; I have plenty that will make it in my live rocks!
I have a 29 gal cube AIO mixed reef. I would prefer a fish, as I am looking to add another to my tank anyway, but would consider inverts too (I already have a fighting conch). I am hoping for something a bit smaller than your typical sleeper goby, and something with some personality.
PS; same story for the dreaded vermetid worm... Double bonus for something that would eat both
Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[jda]

Good luck on the Vermetids... if you find something that works on them, then you could make a pretty penny.

I found that the spaghetti worms came and went if I just left them alone. I have no idea if it will work, but you could try a horseshoe crab... just a guess since they eat bristle worms.

 

[S2G]

Just vacuum your sand. They regulate with food supply. My experience anyway

 

[Mical]

For Vermetids a longspine urchin, for your worms a six-line wrasse

 

[Phil D.]

Gold Banded Coral Shrimp, (Stenopus Hispidus), will eat them.

 

[Duffer]

I have had luck with bubble bees snails for vermetid snails

 

[9Trees29gal]

For Vermetids a longspine urchin, for your worms a six-line wrasse

I have a short-spined urchin... He does eat corraline, so he may crunch through the vermetids... Fingers crossed!!! A long-spine would be a bit of a wrecking ball in my small tank.
Will a six-line root in the sand? I have been considering one anyway, but I don't remember the ones I have had in the past doing much in the sand?

 

[Phil D.]

Six-lines will seek and find all of them. I had issue with the small white feather dusters taking over my tank, after put six-line they disappeared in 2 weeks!

 

[9Trees29gal]

Just vacuum your sand. They regulate with food supply. My experience anyway

I have had similar experience, however, I do vacuum, but a lot of them are tucked around the base of the rocks.... They seem to be eating a lot of my pods (I have seen them catch them up against the glass) which I would rather were available for the fish and corals!
I am sure now that I am rehabbing my tank the population will slowly decline; patience is probably in order, but it's also a way to decide what fish I want to add ;-)

 

[Sashaka]

Just vacuum your sand. They regulate with food supply. My experience anyway

++1 You can also just net them and pick them out where you can reach them to thin the population more quickly. It's time consuming, but it works. Try not to overfeed. I've seen my spaghetti worm catch and eat pellets bigger than they were, lol.

 

[Quietman]

Spaghetti aren't going to hurt anything, so give a few months and see if competition for food takes care of them before adding something you may not want to live with long term.

Vermetids...got me hanging. The dreaded bone cutter fish is all I've used.

 

[9Trees29gal]

Thanks guys! I have been thinking of getting a 6-line anyway, so I ordered one, as well as some bumble bee snails... We'll see what happens!
Even if they don't do what I hope they will, I will have some new livestock

 

[9Trees29gal]

Spaghetti aren't going to hurt anything, so give a few months and see if competition for food takes care of them before adding something you may not want to live with long term.

Vermetids...got me hanging. The dreaded bone cutter fish is all I've used.

Good input.... I never buy livestock exclusively to solve a problem.... It has to be something that fits my tank environment and that I can (and want to) sustain long-term.
I am feeding carefully, but I am pretty sure they are self-sustaining on my pod population (my fuge sends a lot of pods to the tank!). I am sure they will reduce with time, but in the meantime I will have a fat six-line!

 

[mrsdixon]

I havent seen my 6line or bumblebee snails go after any of my spaghetti worms as of yet but I'm sure they probably do so when the lights are out maybe? I have cut back on feeding and I've seen a decline in the numbers. which you said they are probably sustaining themselves off your pod population so the feeding tip wouldnt help you lol! let us know once you get your 6line and snails. I've also heard that an arrow crab will go to town on spaghetti worms as well!

 

[S2G]

I would not throw a 6 line wrasse in a 29. Those things can be nightmares & I doubt you'll be able to catch it

 

[9Trees29gal]

I would not throw a 6 line wrasse in a 29. Those things can be nightmares & I doubt you'll be able to catch it

I have had one in the past and he was a model citizen, at least until he went carpet surfing about 3 years ago.... Followed advice and bought him small and added him last. He added a lot of personality to the tank. Maybe I was just lucky!