What is this pink worm-looking thing?

[tirtza]

I apologize in advance for the poor quality of the photos (I recently lost my camera and had to use my iPhone to take the picture). I zoomed in as much as I could but the pictures are still really fuzzy.
I just noticed this really small worm-like creature living in a tiny hole in some live rock. It didn't come all of the way out of it's hole, but it looked perhaps around an 1/8 of an inch long. It's pink in color, with what looks like white little hairs. After I took a couple of photos the little creature went back into it's hole. The tank is new, only a little over 2 months and this is the first time I've seen this creature. If you could tell me what it is, I'd greatly appreciate it! Thanks!

 

[btldreef]

Fireworm (Polychaete - Hermodice carunculata.), and the bad kind. Needs to be removed. BE CAREFUL, they hurt, do not touch them.
And honestly, those are pretty good pictures compared to what I've seen people ask for to be id'd, LOL

 

[tirtza]

Thanks for the ID! How do I remove it? Are there chances that there are more of them?

 

[btldreef]

There could be more. What else is in the tank?

 

[tirtza]

I googled the name, and checked out the pictures that were provided on the web...I'm not 100% positive that's what this is?? I noticed from the pictures on the web that the white bristles were only on the sides. This particular little worm has bristles/hairs all around him. Is it possible that it's something else? Should I remove it regardless of what it is? What's the safest way to remove it?

 

[tirtza]

It looks a little more like the one pictured here (expect pink)

How can I tell if it's a Bristle Worm or (bad) type of fire worm? They are pretty similar aren't they?

 

[btldreef]

Go to lionfishlair.com and go to the hitch hiker section.

 

[btldreef]

They post pictures of the common bristleworm vs the fireworm that you have.

 

[tirtza]

Thanks for the link! I just finished reading about the two types. I'm still unsure of whether or not its the good fireworm the "Eurythoe complanata" or the bad "Hermodice carunculata".
Based on the article this is how the Hermodice carunculata worm feeds:
"As the worm lacks the jaws to sever the pieces of its prey, feeding in Hermodice is a prolonged process. When they feed, Hermodice individuals typically swallow the ends of a gorgonian or soft coral and then proceed to lick the flesh off of it, while the ends are still attached to the colony. Such feeding is a lengthy process; it takes hours. During this period the worm really isn't going to go anywhere, it is tethered to its dinner...If you have a Hermodice in your tank, you will either eventually find it on a prey organism munching away or see it crawling across the substrate. Remove it with a pair of forceps, tweezers, or tongs, and dispose of it."
I saw the little worm in the same piece of live rock that has had zoa polyps growing on it ever since I first set up the aquarium. Wouldn't it have eaten those palys by now? Why would I have just now seen it, I feel like I probably would have seen it eating one of the palys by now if is were the 'bad' type of fireworm. What do you think?
I think I'll wait and see if it attaches itself to one of the palys or if I can catch it coming out of the rock (it's really tiny and can quickly move back into it's little hole!) If I can catch it with some forceps I definitely will!
Thanks for your help

 

[btldreef]

When in doubt, get it out.
They can be tricky to catch. I've caught large ones when I feed my fish and they come out for food and get lazy.

 

[tirtza]

Should I keep the lights off (only moon lights on) or will it come out if I turn the bright lights on?

 

[btldreef]

They tend to come out more at night, but all the ones I've caught with tweezers were out during the day while I was feeding fish.

 

[tirtza]

I've been looking for the worm, but haven't seem him again. Hopefully I get lucky and seem him pop out of his little hole. Hopefully it doesn't multiply! The good type of fireworm seems to be common, and from I've read I think this type of fireworm supposed to be a little more rare to find...I suppose I just got lucky...

It's a new aquarium, so I don't have any coral in there (with the exception of the zoa polyps). However, later on when my aquarium is more mature and I'm more experienced, I'd love to have some soft coral. I'd hate to have one or more of these evil fireworms still in there eating any coral that I add
I'm going to do my best to take it out...wish me luck (I think I'm going to need it!)

 

[saxman]

If you want to try and catch it, you'll need to bait it with a piece of meaty food near its lair at lights out/moonlights, and when it comes out into the open, grab it with a pair of tweezers/tongs.
OR, you can try tying some bait into a piece of old nylon stocking (make a little packet), then tie a string onto the packet. Place the bait where the worm(s) will get to it and after awhile, just lift the bait and hopefully the BW out of the tank.
Finally, if you can remove that piece of rock easily, you can give it a 10 min hypersalinity dip (1.040 measured on a refractometer). Most of the critters should be driven out of the rock and you can remove any "baddies" and add the "goodies" back to the tank.

 

[tirtza]

Wow, thanks so much for the advice! Those options sound great. That worm is a sneaky little sucker too

I'm worried that if I try to catch it with metal tweezers that I'll just end up chopping it in half and only getting part of it out of its hole. According to the article in lionfishlair.com, a Fire worm can regenerate. I want to make sure that I can get the whole worm, and I can easily take that piece of rock out (it's just a small piece) so I think I'll try the hyper-salinity option. I have a few questions though....
1. Will using the hyper-salinity option damage the zoa polyp coral that's already on the rock?
2. Will it damage the coralline algae growing on the rock?
Regardless of the answers to questions 1 & 2, I still want to use the hyper-salinity option (it seems like the only sure-fire way that I can make sure the worm is gone for good) I just want to be prepared.
*I just ordered a refractometer (I know....I should have purchased one a while ago, in the mean time I had just been using a hydrometer), the refractometer may take a few days to get here (is it safe to wait that long? Will this worm multiply or move by then? The few times I've seen it, it's always barely poked it's little body out of one of the rocks many holes)
*Could you provide very specific instructions on how to use the hyper-salinity method.....I would really really appreciate it! Thanks!
Thanks in advance for all of your help!

 

[tirtza]

Is dipping the small piece of live rock in fresh RO water an alternative to the hypersalinity dip?

 

[saxman]

I'd just go with the hyper dip over a FW dip. The hyper won't kill off the bacteria on the rock, but the FW will. It's really simple...mix up enuff water to cover the LR and dip the offending piece of LR into the bucket for about 10 mins (white works well so you can see everything that bails out of the rock). Hopefully, most everything will bail out of the rock and you can then return the rock and any "keepers" back to the DT.
Another method I've heard of is dousing the LR with soda water. Just pour the stuff over the LR and into the holes. I know someone who uses this method to catch hitching mantids.
Don't fret over a single worm...just lose it when it's convenient.

 

[tirtza]

Thanks Saxman! I'm going to try the hypersalinity method. I just ordered a refractometer (my first time using one, hopefully I got a decent one and I use it correctly!) I found it at http://***************.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=SRCH
After I leave the rock in the hyper water for 10 minutes, do I just return it to the aquarium or do anything else to it?
It's honestly such a small rock (about the size of a fist) it'll be interesting to see if there are actually any other little creatures in there. I'm surprised that I never noticed this little worm before, it's really tiny though.
Will the hypersalinity kill the coral growing on the rock? After dipping the rock in the hyper water and then back in my DT, will it cause a significant increase in the specific gravity of the aquarium water?

 

[spanko]

Greg (Saxman) has the perfect solution. I would only add that you may want to suspend the rock on a platform, like an inverted plastic cup, so when the offending critter(s) bail out they fall to the bottom of the container and cannot climb back into the rock. Wear gloves, if you touch that thing you will be sorry.

 

[saxman]

If you DO happen to end up with bristles in your finger, dip the affected digit into a cup of white vinegar for a few mins and it will dissolve, assuming it's not a silicon-based spine, which these aren't.