Worms and shrimp

[Korkuc36]

Hey guys. Still new to the group. Just trying to make conversation and also really curious about the subject. Are mantis shrimp and bobbit worms really as common as they say? Or is it just pure bad luck if you get one? I have like 80 pounds of ocean live rock and I'm going on 2 years. I haven't seen anything, but I'm super paranoid because I didn't think it was as big as a possibility that it seems to be. Should I be worried or should I have seen something by now?

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Mantis Shrimp reach adulthood in 3 or so months. I bet you don’t have one. You would have “heard” it by now!!!

 

[Rtaylor]

Bobbit worms are fairly common. I found 2 in my live rock when they were still pretty small. Watch your tank at night with a red flashlight. If stuff starts disappearing you might want to go hunting. But typically if you watch the tank enough you’ll see it before it causes too much damage.

 

[DaJMasta]

Not to fuel your paranoia, but while you don't have any mantises as you would have seen them or their handywork yet, there are plenty of stories of people finding bobbit worms years into their tank.

That said, it's unlikely, and the fact you haven't seen anything bad yet means you've probably dodged the vast majority of potential bullets.

 

[JoJosReef]

I have a bunch of smaller eunice worms, but I don't know if they are "bobbits". Aren't bobbits mostly sand-dwelling ambushers?