What I found in my tank today

[christyf5]

A Steve Weast special. Ok it wasn't 7 feet but I'm sure it was two easy before it broke in half. The pics suck as I was so creeped out by it I could hardly keep still :razz: I'm pretty sure its of the same ilk as Steve W's worm as it mowed down a considerable number of zoos and rics before I hauled them out of there last August. I have no idea what its been eating since then.

But it sure ain't no mantis, which is what I was expecting :eek:

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b365/christyf5/DSCN6274.jpg

And a big thanks to Ken (Scavenger) who "dealt" with it for me :wink:

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b365/christyf5/DSCN6273.jpg


Got the tank all moved and the "creature from the deep" out of there. I have no idea what was making the clicking sound as there was no pistol or mantis to be found. I did find a really tiny diadema urchin though :biggrin:

[Jason McK]

So you breaded and deep fried them till they were crispy and finger licking good

J

[christyf5]

Ugh gross. Ken flushed him down the toilet. :twised:

[rusty]

Those things are sick!!!:crazyeye: I hate having worms in my tank they freak me out!!

[marie]

The only time I have been freaked out by a bristle worm is when I went to reach for a small clump of zoas in the sand once and picked up a 4" bristle worm instead. The bristle worm went flying across the room and some not very nice words came out of my mouth :mrgreen: . I really REALLY don't want to know if i have a giant worm hiding in the rocks :lol:

[Beverly]

OMG! That worm freaks me out, too :eek: Glad I didn't find one in my reef.

[justinl]

sick. that's one big worm.

btw for future reference, mantids don't eat corals.

[Delphinus]

That's pretty ew alright. I think that's worse than the alien three-jawed icky behemoth worm I found when we moved one of my tanks a few years back. Didn't take a picture of that either because it was far too ew for us :)

Get a picture of the diadema? That's pretty cool you found one of those!!

[tmbar19]

This is really creeping me out!!! I've only been reefing for three weeks, and have begun having nightmares!! My hubby got poked with three black barbs while setting the mantis trap last night. I've seen the mantis (very small) as well as a bright fuscia bristle worm. However, the bristle worm had white bristles. Do not know what Ted was stung by last night. We've been trying to trap the mantis for nearly three weeks with no luck. Sorry, but if the little munchkin is sitting on a rock and I don't think I have to take him alive, it's me against him in a battle to the death!!! He's already started smashing crabs, so he's gotta come outta there. I do not want to dismantle.
Off to have nightmares about worms now. . . . .

[Scavenger]

Well it didn't exactly "break" in half, more got ripped in half. Damn that thing could move fast!

I was thinking last night the clicking sound could have been those monsterous mandible thingys on its yap. strong enough to pack all those frags into its den (As seen in photos), therefor strong enough to make clicky noises.

Glad we got it out, hopefully your corals are a little safer from becoming den ornaments.

[Reefhawk1]

They look like earth worms :biggrin: Just put then outside and let the birds eat them :twised:

[Samw]

Hi Christy.
Yup, remember I mentioned that it could be bristleworms eating your zoos? My zoos were mysteriously dissappearing too. Late one night long after lights out, I would just watched them come out and eat my zoos. I saw my zoo polyp one minute, then the worm covering the zoo polyp, then nothing but bare rock a few minutes later where the polyp use to be. For the next few weeks, I trapped and took out several dozen worms and haven't lost more zoos after that.

[EmilyB]

Now that's what Scavengers are for ! Good job !

[MikeP]

Hi Christy.
Yup, remember I mentioned that it could be bristleworms eating your zoos? My zoos were mysteriously dissappearing too. Late one night long after lights out, I would just watched them come out and eat my zoos. I saw my zoo polyp one minute, then the worm covering the zoo polyp, then nothing but bare rock a few minutes later where the polyp use to be. For the next few weeks, I trapped and took out several dozen worms and haven't lost more zoos after that.

How do you trap worms? I have been slowly loosing zoos too. Mabey I've got a bad one in there. I thought bristle worms were good to have though? Or are just some types ok and others not?

[Scavenger]

Now that's what Scavengers are for ! Good job !


LOL!!! and that pretty much sums it up, worm removal and not much else!!

I thought bristle worms were good to have though? Or are just some types ok and others not?

This wasn't a bristle worm. Your sig says it, "You're gonna need a bigger boat."

[Diana]

Ugh... I've been loosing my zoos too.... all in one area so I'm sure its something funky. I really really REALLY dont want to look at night to see what it is. But I guess I'm going to have to.... *shudder*


Ohhhhh Raaaaf....

[justinl]

imo bristle worms ARE okay and even beneficial (if a lil ugly). However, if i find one over half a foot, it's history. I belive i read somewhere that these zoo eating worms are not actually the same as the detritus eating bristleworms... course i could be hallucinating... again.

[titus]

Hello,

Christy just make sure they did get flushed past the toilet trap alright. You don't want them to be creeping back up on you when you use the toilet. :mrgreen:


LOL!!! and that pretty much sums it up, worm removal and not much else!!

Perhaps we should start referring worm removal jobs to you.

Titus

[marie]

Hello,

Christy just make sure they did get flushed past the toilet trap alright. You don't want them to be creeping back up on you when you use the toilet. :mrgreen:

Titus

Note to self never use christys bathroom

[prodogg02]

This is really creeping me out!!! I've only been reefing for three weeks, and have begun having nightmares!! My hubby got poked with three black barbs while setting the mantis trap last night. I've seen the mantis (very small) as well as a bright fuscia bristle worm. However, the bristle worm had white bristles. Do not know what Ted was stung by last night. We've been trying to trap the mantis for nearly three weeks with no luck. Sorry, but if the little munchkin is sitting on a rock and I don't think I have to take him alive, it's me against him in a battle to the death!!! He's already started smashing crabs, so he's gotta come outta there. I do not want to dismantle.
Off to have nightmares about worms now. . . . .

the bristle worm with white bristles is a fire worm dont touch them it will hurt and i think they get really big.

[untamed]

I would not recommend that any of you ever visit my tank...there's way too much reality in my tank for you...