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View Full Version : Predetor or scavanger - ID needed pls.


kamil5000
05/19/2006, 05:15 AM
Hi,

I plucked these out of the aquarium, they were feeding on a dying snail (I saw about six more in the display).

In the last couple of month I have found a lot of dead snails (about 30 total) and was wondering if this was because of these worms (fire worms ? or regular bristtlewroms ?).

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/64467Bristleworm_016_copy.jpg

At the same time, the snail death occured after I trimmed a sacraphyton (leather) coral - which are supposed to emit very strong poisons.

So I am tying to figure out whether these guys are responsible for the snails deaths, or are they just preforming a clean up service - after the fact.

tks.

LeslieH
05/19/2006, 12:48 PM
Clean up service. These appear to be Eurythoe which eats detritus & scavenges the dead & dying.

kamil5000
05/19/2006, 01:01 PM
Tks Leslie,

I've spotted another 4 or 5 of them in the 75 gallon. Would these be enough for a clean-up service or should I add these back?

Kamil

LeslieH
05/19/2006, 01:05 PM
Some of the other members with reef experience can answer that better than me. As a general rule with cryptofauna (= hidden animals) if you see 4 or 5 there are a lot more that you don't see.

kamil5000
05/19/2006, 01:16 PM
Tks again,

I guess i probably have more that enough in the tank as it is.

What's the quickest/mos humane way to dispose unwanted Eurythoes?

LeslieH
05/19/2006, 01:36 PM
:blown: :hammer: :fun2: :sleep: :uzi: :fish1:

Most people around here seem to favor freezing them

kamil5000
05/19/2006, 05:07 PM
Great. Tks for the info.

Bye Bye Worms :sad1:

Javeo
05/19/2006, 11:04 PM
Oooh so pretty! send them to me!

Sk8r
05/19/2006, 11:20 PM
Bristleworms in general are beneficial to the tank. There are a few problem species. Most are good.

Sk8r
05/19/2006, 11:20 PM
Bristleworms in general are beneficial to the tank. There are a few problem species. Most are good.

romunov
05/20/2006, 12:25 AM
There's no reason to dispose of them.

FWIW, I often see them scraping glass/rock for what appears to be diatom films.

kamil5000
05/20/2006, 04:45 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7401766#post7401766 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Javeo
Oooh so pretty! send them to me!

I think they would die on the journey accross the world.

Javeo
05/20/2006, 05:23 PM
I know, I was being my usual stupid self