Can anyone ID this monster worm?

[scottfarcuz]

I found this guy about a week ago. He is in a tank by himself now, and I've tried feeding him softies, snails, other worms etc...

I'd love to get a positive ID on him, and try to get him eating.


When I pulled him from the tank he was a little over 4ft. I've since accidentally broken three sections off of him around 6". I am assuming this is a escape tactic as I've tried to be very careful with him.

Amy (RC name Morgandy) was the photographer, and I think she does have others of the head if needed for an ID

[Sk8r]

Eunicid worm. Not reefsafe.

[luke33]

Yea, thats a bad one....

[scottfarcuz]

I can tell by the size it isn't likely reef safe. Like I said he is all alone now in a 40g tank. I'm really trying to find what it eats.

Eunicid is over 200 species.

[ricks]

Try your finger...

[scottfarcuz]

Originally posted by ricks
Try your finger...

How do you think I got him out of the tank?

[johnd4g]

Eunicid worm for sure. I've been trying to catch the one in my tank for over a year now. They love the taste of zoas, especially the expensive ones.

[Anemone]

The five "antennae" are indicative of eunicid, and they are often implicated in our tanks in eating zoas, mushrooms (including rics) and other soft corals.

FWIW,
Kevin

[fantastic4]

that's good eating when fried with butter and garlic!

hmmmmm hmmmmmm, yummy!

[scottfarcuz]

Originally posted by Anemone
The five "antennae" are indicative of eunicid, and they are often implicated in our tanks in eating zoas, mushrooms (including rics) and other soft corals.

FWIW,
Kevin

Thanks I will try each, and see what he goes for first.

Was hoping he would go for palys

[kar93]

could put him in the sump

[seapug]

I had a 3 inch one in my first 12 gal. tank that would rearrange the rocks at night. Creepy.

Once I saw it I promptly took the entire rock it live in and put it in the trash. No thanks.

[builderguy]

I've got a BIG worm in my tank that looks more like a long earthworm with a head...same kinda thing? I have a ton of zoas and I haven't lost any...kenya trees are out of control and stonies are all great...I'd like to get him out but impossible to catch.

[hypermikie]

Post it in the "Other Invertabrates" Thread or contact LeslieH, she is a worm expert or self titled "worm wrangler"

LeslieH's Profile for contacting:
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...readid=1273218

[scottfarcuz]

Originally posted by hypermikie
Post it in the "Other Invertabrates" Thread or contact LeslieH, she is a worm expert or self titled "worm wrangler"

LeslieH's Profile for contacting:
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...readid=1273218

Thats exactly the person I was hoping would come along with some info. Thank you.

I tossed a florida ric and a mushroom in the tank today.

[Anemone]

Originally posted by scottfarcuz
I tossed a florida ric and a mushroom in the tank today.

That may, or may not, work. I've had one go around/past some rics to eat others. Same with different zoas.

Kevin

[scottfarcuz]

Originally posted by Anemone
That may, or may not, work. I've had one go around/past some rics to eat others. Same with different zoas.

Kevin

Interesting... Were you able to keep one similar alive long term?

I might have to toss one of everything I can find in to see what disappears.

Sad part is I'm serious. This worm is cool...

The worm was in a SPS dominate tank with few fish. There was 1 rock with some palys. Rock had a lot of this weird black sponge growing on it. Maybe that is a possibility?

[davidryder]

I don't know why but when I see worms like that, I vomit in my mouth - just a little bit.

Those should be a part of that show with Joe Rogen where people eat and do crazy stuff... the name has escaped me.

[RumLad]

That would be Fear Factor.

First person to eat at least a foot of Eunicid........urgghh


Hope LeslieH sees this, as she is indeed the Worm Goddess

[jeffbrig]

Definitely a eunicid. The ones I pulled from my tank repeatedly munched on zoanthids, palythoas, GSPs, a yellow fiji leather, acans, you name it. Anything that wasn't sps was a potential food.

[Eldredge]

If you want to keep him alive and he was doing well in your tank without damaging anything you cared about, why not put him back?

[scottfarcuz]

I PMed Leslie asking for some input on the thread.

Here are a few more pictures from Morgandy

Originally posted by Morgandy



[/B]

The worm was pulled from the SPS display tank at a LFS. Its now (and in the pics) in its own 40g tank on the same system.

[Morgandy]

I was telling folks in the other thread on the c-sea forum that this guy was very hard to shoot. But, here is the best I could get of his head, I had to doctor the sharpness/color a lot. I do have video which I'm going to try to upload later today. It shows it walking on it's disgusting little millions of legs. ICK! I can stomach a lot, but this thing, total heebeegeebees! (sp?) I feel bad for everyone over the years sticking their hands in there.

Also, how long does it take one of these things to grow so large, does anyone know?

Josh, why the heck isn't Greg donating his own goods for feeding !??!!??! I'll have to talk to him about that!

[scottfarcuz]

Originally posted by Morgandy

Josh, why the heck isn't Greg donating his own goods for feeding !??!!??! I'll have to talk to him about that!

I tossed a few of his frags in also, but after Anemone suggested rics/shrooms above I grabbed a frag of each I had already in my sump. Greg didnt complain at all about me throwing his frags in I just didn't wanna push my luck too much...

Thanks again for the great pics. They are a LOT better than I could've done.

[davidryder]

It might be hard to get it to eat in such a foreign and unnatural environment - assuming there is so sand/macro/rocks/etc in the tank he is in.