What to do about Caribbean Fire Worms?

[Actuary]

Hi all.....a month ago I had an all-out disaster.....75% of my fish, and a great BTA, all died, about one per day. I suspected predator worms for a while (had a 6ft Eunicid shortly after the tank started, I've been suspicious of worms ever since). But I decided the culprits were either my new Reef Octopus 2000 or a bacterial infection. Turned off the skimmer, and dosed MelaFix according to the instructions....and I really do believe it worked. The 4 fish I have left seem very happy and look exponentially better. So I'm ready to start restocking.....which leads me to.....

The pic contains 1 of easily 100 of the bad guys I have suspected of malice. These are both just fragments that tore off as I tried to snag them....there are easily several over a foot long in here (210 gal). But there's a yellow watchman who has survived the whole thing, so I'm not so sure the worms are actually murdering any fish; based on the successful treatment I'm chalking it up to an unfortunate bacterial infection. I'm almost certain these are Caribbean Fire Worms (hermodice carunculata). My question for the forum is, should I tear down completely and try and eradicate as many as I can, or do I just leave them be and get a few filefish? My wife hates them and wants them gone, but she also is sympathetic to how much work it would be to get rid of them.

What do you think?

 

[TriggerFinger]

I literally got the chills just looking at the pics ;Wideyed It might be a fire worm...the bristles don’t look real bushy like the google pictures but maybe it’s because you got a tail end... I’m with your wife...set a trap and try to coax them out!!

 

[ecexotics]

those are actually pretty terrifying. maybe look into natural predators?

 

[Thespammailaccount]

Have not tried but have heard you can buy or make traps to catch them

 

[ecexotics]

very sorry to hear about your losses. i swear by my uv sterilizer after losing my favorite regal angelfish to a bacteria illness. i have a aqua uv sterilizer piped on its own pump with a gate valve to slow down the flow to allow the maximum exposure of the water on the bulb and i've never seen a fungus infection since. hope it gets better for you

 

[oreo54]

Hi all.....a month ago I had an all-out disaster.....75% of my fish, and a great BTA, all died, about one per day. I suspected predator worms for a while (had a 6ft Eunicid shortly after the tank started, I've been suspicious of worms ever since). But I decided the culprits were either my new Reef Octopus 2000 or a bacterial infection. Turned off the skimmer, and dosed MelaFix according to the instructions....and I really do believe it worked. The 4 fish I have left seem very happy and look exponentially better. So I'm ready to start restocking.....which leads me to.....

The pic contains 1 of easily 100 of the bad guys I have suspected of malice. These are both just fragments that tore off as I tried to snag them....there are easily several over a foot long in here (210 gal). But there's a yellow watchman who has survived the whole thing, so I'm not so sure the worms are actually murdering any fish; based on the successful treatment I'm chalking it up to an unfortunate bacterial infection. I'm almost certain these are Caribbean Fire Worms (hermodice carunculata). My question for the forum is, should I tear down completely and try and eradicate as many as I can, or do I just leave them be and get a few filefish? My wife hates them and wants them gone, but she also is sympathetic to how much work it would be to get rid of them.

What do you think?

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[((FORDTECH))]

I think that’s a Eunice worm I could be wrong. It sure looks like the over 3ft long one I caught Tho

 

[John Smith]

You might want to try coral banded shrimp. Mine will hunt for bristle worms. It grabs the worm by the head, nibble at it and slowly pull the whole worm out of the rocks. Other than that, it's peaceful toward other tank mates. It's fun watching the shrimp in action under the "moon" light too. Good luck.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

He killed many small fish and ate thousands If dollars of corals that literally where disappearing daily And I had no clue till months later seen him

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I’d like to see the look on a coral bandit shrimp face when he sees a foot long Eunice worm about to eat him hahahah

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Check this out that’s a 4ft tank

 

[John Smith]

I’d like to see the look on a coral bandit shrimp face when he sees a foot long Eunice worm about to eat him hahahah

It might be a good match. The claws of the coral banded are pretty intimidating too.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Watch my video up there coral bandit no match for the one I found lol