Killer worm?

[davido]

Can anybofy tell me what this is? and if its bad. i can only say it has two little eyes and its is really fast. my snails keep go missing ive lost a crab , peppermint shrimp and couple of hermits over the past 3 or so months. wondering if this is the culprit.

 

[michaeltx]

looks like a bristle worm just an odd color. might be a fire worm or another one of its family. are you finding a carcass by where the worm is?
Mike

 

[davido]

yes, you can see whats left of a hermit, but it does have a head with two little eyes, and wraps around what its eating like a snake, and as i said it is big and fast. The bristle look more like legs, but i cant get a close enough look, as soon as i turn the light on and get close it retreats into the crevice. there is alot of debris around the area too..silt like. suggestions?

 

[michaeltx]

let me do some research and see what I can find for ya. try looking in the tank at night with a red filtered flashlight it wont scurry off as fast because it most critters cant see the red light.
Mike

 

[davido]

here is the best shot of it i can get. you can see the eyes by the hermit carcas.

 

[michaeltx]

I am starting to think a marine centipede cant fins a good picture of one though most are artis renditions of them.
if thats what it turns out to be they are nasty critters from what I am seeing so far. even go after fish with venom like the ground milipedes and centipedes.
Do not try to get it out with your hands !!!
Mike

 

[michaeltx]

looks very similar to this guy Nyctunguis heathii (Intertidal centipede)
this one was taking in BC but are more common on the california coast.
where did you get your LR from ?
Mike

 

[davido]

Thanks. ill hopefully get it out when i just take the rock out of the tank.

 

[michaeltx]

jsut becareful. you can try dipping the rock in a high slainity water and try to drive it out of the rock.
Mike

 

[davido]

Looks just like it. i've had the rock for about a yr now from my usual lfs when i just started the tank, But i just got some gsp's on a small rock from another store a month ago. so i dont know if it came in on that. ill check with both to see if they know where they got the supply from. thanks again