Bristle Worm that eats zoas!

GoFish · #1 09-30-2015, 08:53 PM

So I've discovered recently that I have a bristle worm that likes munching on the stalks of zoas causing them to wither away and die. So far he's taken out a 15 head colony of Macaws, now it's starting to work on a second type. It kills about 1 head for every 2 days on average
Not sure if anyone knew they were capable of doing that. I searched and found some random threads on RC about the subject and there seems to be some peeps who just don't believe it, but trust me, it can be true.
There are many bristle worms in my display tank, but only one has developed a taste for zoas fortunately now I just have to figure out how to get rid of It. I want to keep all of the other bristle worms as they do a great job of cleaning up leftover food. So I have no plans on dipping the whole rock. I know what hole it lives in just trying to figure out a plan of action

Might first try plugging it hole with epoxy and hope that the canal doesn't have an exit.

I'll post a pic later of the culprit, just thought I'd let others know that bristle worms aren't always model cleanup citizens (which I thought they were)

Myka · #2 09-30-2015, 10:54 PM

Are you sure it's a standard bristleworm? Critters like Eunicid worms are known to eat corals (Zoas especially), and look very similar.

GoFish · #3 10-01-2015, 02:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myka

Are you sure it's a standard bristleworm? Critters like Eunicid worms are known to eat corals (Zoas especially), and look very similar.

Well it's usually wears a t-shirt saying " I

Zoanthids" so its hard to get a proper I.D.

I've never seen anything else bother the zoas in the tank. Not nudis, pods, asterinas, pox, fish, nadda, just this little one. Well hermits and snails graze around them, they close, but then open right back up. Once this worm does its thing with them , they die, one-by-one... I've seen it poke his face right into the side of an open, healthy, disease free zoa stalk and doesnt move, Its also was less shy than all the other bristleworms (less affected by light and movement). Not 100 percent certain it actually consumes the zoa and poops it out, possibly trying to explore the inside of them? Somewhere to hide? Maybe its cold?? Either way, whatever its doing to it causes them to die, my best guess though is that its eating the flesh

Heres a pic of the culprit

Slyguy00 · #4 10-01-2015, 03:58 AM

If it was me, id just put a bristle worm trap right by the hole it stays in. Those things work great. you would be amazed at what you find inside it in the morning.

GoFish · #5 10-01-2015, 05:44 AM

Ummm, that coralife thing? Whatever I don't have to place on the bottom, it lives on top of a rock about 6 inches from the sand bed.

Slyguy00 · #6 10-01-2015, 05:48 AM

The trap is just a small tube. You could pretty much put it anywhere.

Ryanerickson · #7 10-01-2015, 06:05 AM

I agree with nick you could even temp glue it in the location if you had to

Myka · #8 10-01-2015, 02:46 PM

Those traps work well. You can make one yourself too - I made one out of an epoxy tube and a little funnel I had. It looks like a typical bristleworm, but if it's bothering the Zoas in one way or another I'd remove it!

Madreefer · #9 10-02-2015, 07:15 PM

Or you can just put a prawn in a piece of pantyhose. That works just as good as that trap.

GoFish · #10 10-02-2015, 08:15 PM

I went to the dollar store yesterday and thought about buying panty hose. Felt like such creeper looking at that section

. There was a lady beside me shopping for leggings so peaced out... I'll get the wife to buy me a pair. In the meantime I made something that might work, we'll see how it goes