fire worm

[whitey_028]

i have had my harlequin shrimp for almost a year now and he ended up dyeing today... next to his dead body was a fire worm about 6 to 8 inches long... ive never had a fireworm in this tank and am wondering if he hadanything to do woth the harlequins death or if i need to worry about anything... He might have just been there scaveging the remains of the harlequin...Any knowledge would be helpful on fireworms,and if i have to remove it what would be the easiest way without removing 200+ lbs of liverock and coral?

 

[ninjamini]

coke bottle and shrimp method. But it may or may not have killed the shrimp. But I like to get them out. I dont like to get stung when I pick up a piece of rock.

 

[whitey_028]

i really dont mess with my rocks and not worrying about being stung as i have some things in my tank you just dont touch... But should i worry about it hurting anything like my other fish,inverts,or corals?

 

[poniegirl]

It's like the chicken and the egg, IMO. I truly believe the worm did not kill your shrimp. I believe the worms are the quickest ambulance chasers, though, and depend on the scent of the slightest decay to bring them to the scene....where they get caught "red-handed" doing what they do..cleaning up.
I also would venture to guess, if you have one that is 6 to 8 inches (oh my) you have quite a few that you haven't had the opportunity to measure yet.
They do hurt to touch, so beware, but that's a dandy defense, not an efficient way to kill a shrimp.
I like mine where they are. In the rocks during the day, janitorial service at night.

 

[whitey_028]

thanks poni.just wanted to make sure he not hurting anything i didnt think he would and wanted to make sure he was just cleanup crew. Although im starting to miss my harlequin shrimp as there arent many predators in a reef tank and he was cool to watch tear and chocholate chip starfish apart... I dont think ill get another one as they get expensive to feed every other week...

 

[poniegirl]

Originally Posted by whitey_028
miss my harlequin shrimp as there arent many predators in a reef tank and he was cool to watch tear and chocholate chip starfish apart... I dont think ill get another one as they get expensive to feed every other week...
Please don't tell me these things. (we seriously need a hurling icon here).