Help, taking apart tank?? Bobbitt Worm

dive girl

dive girl

Member
I don't know what to do. I think I have a Bobbitt Worm. I saw it back in March, took a photo of it and haven't seen it since.
Why do I think I have it still living in my reef tank? Well, I can't keep soft corals. Something comes along and eats them. I don't have anything else in my tank that I actually put in that eats corals.
My SPS and LPS corals are doing fine, though I have seen where something tried to take a couple of bites.
So, what to do? Traps don't work. I've tried to find it at night, sitting there with the lights off and a pair of big forceps in my hand. The only thing I can think of at this point is to take everything out, fish and CUC in one bucket, corals in another both with powerheads.
All live rock goes into a bin with just a little water at the bottom and hope I either find the worm when I'm moving stuff or it comes out of it's nest in the bin.
Recommendations?
I'm really worried; I don't want to start cycle by disturbing everything.
 
gregzbobo

gregzbobo

Member
Originally Posted by Dive Girl
http:///forum/post/3126940
I don't know what to do. I think I have a Bobbitt Worm. I saw it back in March, took a photo of it and haven't seen it since.
Why do I think I have it still living in my reef tank? Well, I can't keep soft corals. Something comes along and eats them. I don't have anything else in my tank that I actually put in that eats corals.
My SPS and LPS corals are doing fine, though I have seen where something tried to take a couple of bites.
So, what to do? Traps don't work. I've tried to find it at night, sitting there with the lights off and a pair of big forceps in my hand. The only thing I can think of at this point is to take everything out, fish and CUC in one bucket, corals in another both with powerheads.
All live rock goes into a bin with just a little water at the bottom and hope I either find the worm when I'm moving stuff or it comes out of it's nest in the bin.
Recommendations?
I'm really worried; I don't want to start cycle by disturbing everything.
Mix up some new saltwater to 1.035-1.040 in your bin and dunk the liverock and JUST the liverock in that for a while, the worm SHOULD come out, but no guarantees.
 
dive girl

dive girl

Member
Should it just be a quick dunk or should I leave it submerged for any amount of time?
Thanks for the reply. I think I'm going to need some welder's gloves! When I saw that thing 6 months ago it was big; if it is still alive I hate to think of what size it is.
 
dive girl

dive girl

Member
You? I'm the one that's got to look for it.

Here's a photo...... Yep, that is a shrimp molt by it's head...
 
gregzbobo

gregzbobo

Member
Originally Posted by Dive Girl
http:///forum/post/3127056
Should it just be a quick dunk or should I leave it submerged for any amount of time?
Thanks for the reply. I think I'm going to need some welder's gloves! When I saw that thing 6 months ago it was big; if it is still alive I hate to think of what size it is.
Just saw the pic of the monster, I'd wear a heavy pair of rubber gloves handling your rock, if you can manage to have two bins made up, one normal saltwater, and one with the stronger, I would submerge in the stronger stuff for a few minutes, then give it a quick rinse in the normal and dunk it back in the strong stuff.
Its not enough of a salinity shock to damage the beneficial bacteria, but it may affect corraline a bit, but it'll really tick that worm off.
 
roadie996

roadie996

Member
do you have any open plumbing on your tank? I think there was thread a little bit ago about a person with a huuuge sea worm living in his PVC pipes! You might get lucky and not have to tear the tank down!
 
dive girl

dive girl

Member
Lovely!
My husband will be of no help, he'd freak out! Last night I talked to my close friend but he's going out of town this weekend. So, I've got a call into my son to see what his plans are for this weekend.
This tank is only a 29G, I have a lot of live rock, but not big pieces. I wonder how big it was when it arrived.
I was reading the thread posted by Spanko, made me feel ill, and the guy said that the second piece of his Bobbitt worm, was 18" long and had tucked itself into a 1" hole!
I've only seen it once and that was 6 months ago. I can't imagine what else could be eating my soft corals though.
 
gregzbobo

gregzbobo

Member
Originally Posted by Dive Girl
http:///forum/post/3127231
Lovely!
My husband will be of no help, he'd freak out! Last night I talked to my close friend but he's going out of town this weekend. So, I've got a call into my son to see what his plans are for this weekend.
This tank is only a 29G, I have a lot of live rock, but not big pieces. I wonder how big it was when it arrived.
I was reading the thread posted by Spanko, made me feel ill, and the guy said that the second piece of his Bobbitt worm, was 18" long and had tucked itself into a 1" hole!
I've only seen it once and that was 6 months ago. I can't imagine what else could be eating my soft corals though.
Have you tried stalking it late at night with a flashlight equipped with a red lens?
 
cranberry

cranberry

Active Member
OMG! That is so awesome! I SO want that.
Where you are interested in phyto cultures.... I'll trade ya a starter culture!!!!!
 
dive girl

dive girl

Member
Ohhh, that would be a cool trade!
I'm nervous about trying to get it out without doing any damage to it or to my tank inhabitants or starting a mini-cycle.
Should be an interesting day.
 
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