Worm

[vickicj]

Yes, I thought that as well, and cut back on the amt i was feeding, plus I started hand feeding the fish so that a minimum amt of food ended up on the rock or sandbed - this was working and I was noticing the smaller worms disapearing, however the big guy is alive and well, and I'm afraid that my starving him is what caused him to go after my fish! Truly, he's huge, I only see portions of him but he is about 1/4" wide and I imagine more than 3-4" long - and my gobies were pretty small in comparison. As I said, on other boards I've read other aquarists who've lost fish to them so it can happen, esp to smaller, slower moving fish - these things are aggressive and when hungry even more so...I hope this trap gets the big one!!!

 

[nigertrigg]

I know you have never heard of a bristleworm catching a fish but I know someone that actually saw their dead fish hooked by a bristle. It had so many gashes in its side from the stinging of the bristleworm.
And acutally its not the equivalent of an earthworm catching a bird. First of all the bird would be going for the worm. Plus the bristleworm is in an enclosed area with the fish so ira chances are much greater. Not to mention that the worms are nocturnal and fish are aslpeep at that time so it is very possible.
Get an arrowhead crab. No need for a trap.

 

[vickicj]

Will it kill the arrowhead crab? should i get more than one arrowhead? They won't hurt my fish right?

 

[nigertrigg]

Arrowhead crabs are reef safe and will not harm any of your fish at all. Trust me on that one. Get one big arrowhead so it can eat more worms fast but don't get two arrowheads, they will fight each other even to the death. But definately get an arrowhead. They will enjoy the bristles like sour worm candy.

 

[dburr]

Hmmm,, if it's a 1/4 dia., then that is a BIG worm, at least 12" or more. If you see it at night stab it with a skiuer.(how do you spell that???)and pull'em out.

 

[vickicj]

Yes, I believe I could actually do that, like i said, it is HUGE. If it crawls into the trap tonite I'll photograph it & post....

 

[nigertrigg]

But get the arrowhead crabs too. They will be happy to eat them. Wouldn't that be cool to see a Arrowhead catch a bristleworm?
Much more cooler than just a trap or stabbing it.

 

[mudplayerx]

Even if you managed the ninjalike skills necessary to negate a bristleworm's incredible predator-avoidance responses, it is more than likely going to break apart into more than one worm. If you seriously want to catch it, just use a worm trap.
I have to repeat my firm opinion though that I do not believe any bristleworm, regardless of its size is going to attack or be capable of catching healthy fish. However, they may nibble on your corals. I'd leave the worm alone. It is probably a very good contributor to detritus removal in your tank.
I think most people scramble to remove worms from their tanks because they are unapplealing. I'm sure if bristleworms looked like fish or crabs, a lot less of them would fall victim to being removed from our systems.
The only bristleworm that is likely to eat your corals (none of them will eat healthy fish) is Hermodice carunculata (bearded fireworm). It can be distinguished by its reddish or silvery-grey body color, blood-red frilly gills above each tuft of bristles, and the presence of frilly appendages (the beard) on the back of its head.
The beneficial fireworm has an oval to almost rectangular cross-section, onewhite tuft of bristles on each side of each section, and a pink, pinkish, orange, or tan color.
Leave your beneficial worms alone!

 

[nigertrigg]

Oh they definately can catch fish. Its nature man, not human philosophy.
Like I said earlier, bristle worms are nocturnal and can give a sleeping fish a quick sting which can eventually kill the fish. I am not making this up mudplayerx. This is a well known fact so no more arguing about it.
Get the arrowhead crabs to kill the little buggers unless you want to risk the chance. :scared:

 

[mudplayerx]

You are probably thinking about Eucinid worms, which are entirely capable of catching fish due to mandibles adapted especially for preying on fish and other organisms. I am not talking philosophy. There is no way a bristeworm can grow to a length of a foot long in an environment where food is so scarce that it must resort to trying to catch organisms that outclass it in motility and general awareness on every level.
If you could give some respectable source of documented cases of bristleworms preying on healthy fish, I woul be interested in seeing it. I am not trying to be dificult, I am just completely unconvinced.
edit - I must apologize. There is one fireworm that can prey on small, slow moving fish: the carribean fireworm. However, these are not encountered in the aquarium.

 

[nigertrigg]

I am talking about the bad ones. The fire

worm.

 

[vickicj]

I'm definitely getting the arrowhead, I am convinced that my gobies were taken down by this thing & it's smaller friends I'm sure feasted as well. Since I'm quite confident that there is no mantis (haven't heard any clicking and I do check at nite every couple of weeks just because I'm paranoid, with a flashlight filtered), there really can be no other explanation that I can think of, esp since this one is so large, and it so perfectly coincides with my having cut back on feeding, which evidently made it hungry enough to go after the poor twin spots...do a google search & you'll find several articles that echo this:
" Historically, bristleworms were all considered to be bad. Most literature warns that they can attack and eat clams, anemones, corals and even fish. "

 

[vickicj]

Oh and yes, this actually would be a fireworm, as they are all living in the LR not the sandbed....

 

[mudplayerx]

There are dozens of species of fireworms. None of the ones encountered in the aquarium are predators of fish that I know of. However, I think we have reached a point in this debate where further discussion is fruitless.
So, I give you the puppy eating bubbles :joy:

 

[vickicj]

LOL! Cute! Yes, like I said, I'll hopefully catch that thing tonite & will post a pic; I've tried to find info on Eucinid worms but so far can't - we'll see what i have in the a.m.
Thanks for your input - everyone!

 

[nigertrigg]

cute pup.
LOL. Get the arrowhead. They are funny to watch too.

 

[mudplayerx]

Eunice subspecies of worms (eunicid or bobbit worms) have 3 to 5 pairs of large jaws on their heads. They lack the tufts of bristles that bristleworms have. Eunicid worms are hideous...absolutely unmistakable
ps- what does an arrowhead crab look like? I have never heard of one.

 

[firedog]

Well it appears that a bristle worm got my pistol shrimp. So in my opinion they are bad. I had just read in TFH that only the large ones actually prey on living creatures, and by large the author meant a foot long and thick as your finger. I saw the worm. Not that big, but my shrimp is still dead. I hope my six line gets him.

 

[mudplayerx]

Originally Posted by Firedog
Well it appears that a bristle worm got my pistol shrimp. So in my opinion they are bad. I had just read in TFH that only the large ones actually prey on living creatures, and by large the author meant a foot long and thick as your finger. I saw the worm. Not that big, but my shrimp is still dead. I hope my six line gets him.
I would think that a pistol shrimp would wtfpwn a bristleworm. You actually saw the worm attack and subdue a healthy shrimp?!

 

[vickicj]

Well the trap didn't work, so it's either a large wrasse or arrow crab for me...if I get the arrow, once he's taken care of the worm population what is his diet? I feed formula one & two plus a little brine shrimp now & then, would this work for him as well?