BOBBIT.

[Acrononomus]

This is a Bobbit. A couple of weeks ago my GF spotted it when we were looking through the aquarium at night. I didn’t wanna believe it and thought it was just a bristle. After seeing it a few more times it was confirmed after seeing a few posts on here.

I was ready to break my tank down and get him out. Thankfully I spotted him last night and this am making small piles of sand in the sandbed. I always thought it was a pistol shrimp making the mounds in the sand cause we constantly hear the clicking and popping. Low and behold he popped his head out ! I tried to grab em with some tongs and it was a no go.

I was able to move some rocks to the side, lifted the biggest heaviest rock off the bottom that he was in.

Almost to the top, and he popped out swimming in the water. AHHHHHHHH I was screaming like a girl the whole time!

Was able to grab him with a strainer and toss him in a bucket. He’s OUT! Hopefully that was the only one.

The only rock I put in was from TBS. I knew I could get pests and hitchhikers but wanted the biological. Well that’s what comes along with it. Be careful out there.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Holy moly! I think I screamed like a little girl with you! That's insane!
Good job catching him

 

[gmcsonoma94]

Wow

 

[smitten with ocean life]

YUCK!!! good for you!!

 

[Uncle99]

Great Work.
Nice save.

 

[Acrononomus]

The crazy part is this tank has been up for 1 year and 7 months, so what was the Bobbit eating? My snails? I’ve had the same 7 fish the whole time

 

[reefer2/19/24]

This is a Bobbit. A couple of weeks ago my GF spotted it when we were looking through the aquarium at night. I didn’t wanna believe it and thought it was just a bristle. After seeing it a few more times it was confirmed after seeing a few posts on here.

I was ready to break my tank down and get him out. Thankfully I spotted him last night and this am making small piles of sand in the sandbed. I always thought it was a pistol shrimp making the mounds in the sand cause we constantly hear the clicking and popping. Low and behold he popped his head out ! I tried to grab em with some tongs and it was a no go.

I was able to move some rocks to the side, lifted the biggest heaviest rock off the bottom that he was in.

Almost to the top, and he popped out swimming in the water. AHHHHHHHH I was screaming like a girl the whole time!

Was able to grab him with a strainer and toss him in a bucket. He’s OUT! Hopefully that was the only one.

The only rock I put in was from TBS. I knew I could get pests and hitchhikers but wanted the biological. Well that’s what comes along with it. Be careful out there.

dang! I ordered TBS and it came with Gorilla crabs. Nightmare to remove them 3 in total.

 

[Pau Hana Reefer]

yep, that’s showing up in my dreams tonight

 

[Jungle Blue]

Jeez!

 

[Acrononomus]

dang! I ordered TBS and it came with Gorilla crabs. Nightmare to remove them 3 in total.

I’ve had a few gorillas as well, one of them was massive

 

[KrisReef]

This is a Bobbit. A couple of weeks ago my GF spotted it when we were looking through the aquarium at night. I didn’t wanna believe it and thought it was just a bristle. After seeing it a few more times it was confirmed after seeing a few posts on here.

I was ready to break my tank down and get him out. Thankfully I spotted him last night and this am making small piles of sand in the sandbed. I always thought it was a pistol shrimp making the mounds in the sand cause we constantly hear the clicking and popping. Low and behold he popped his head out ! I tried to grab em with some tongs and it was a no go.

I was able to move some rocks to the side, lifted the biggest heaviest rock off the bottom that he was in.

Almost to the top, and he popped out swimming in the water. AHHHHHHHH I was screaming like a girl the whole time!

Was able to grab him with a strainer and toss him in a bucket. He’s OUT! Hopefully that was the only one.

The only rock I put in was from TBS. I knew I could get pests and hitchhikers but wanted the biological. Well that’s what comes along with it. Be careful out there.

It has been my experience that girls often scream when the see a big worm. You handled this one like a pro!

 

[LiquidSpace]

Oh god, I have never heard of Bobbit worms from Tampa Bay Salrwater.

@LiverockRocks do you ever see these guys?

 

[Acrononomus]

Oh god, I have never heard of Bobbit worms from Tampa Bay Salrwater.

@LiverockRocks do you ever see these guys?

From a video I seen on YT I gathered the worms were found at greater depths than what the Live rock may be farmed at, I’m not sure what the depth is they have there rock, but it’s the only place it could have came from. All the other rock was Marco rock that I had acid washed.

 

[LiquidSpace]

From a video I seen on YT I gathered the worms were found at greater depths than what the Live rock may be farmed at, I’m not sure what the depth is they have there rock, but it’s the only place it could have came from. All the other rock was Marco rock that I had acid washed.

What if there was a reef goblin that snuck into our houses when we slept and dropped Bobbit worms into our systems? That would suck.

 

[braaap]

I still don't understand why people buy that junk rock from TBS. You are getting more pests than good biological filter. The good stuff takes some time but dry rock is the best.

 

[JoJosReef]

Wow, that's an insane Eunice worm! Not a Bobbitt, though, as Eunice aphroiditois is likely (although very rarely) imported from the Indo Pacific, not the gulf. Although I've read their distribution extends across the coastal Atlantic warmer water, it seems like the "Bobbitt is mostly Indo-Pacific with the closest ambush predator relatives in the Brazilian coast (still a lot more to read on this). Not to say there aren't large Eunice worms in the Gulf that can hitchhike in on TBS rocks. There are MANY Eunice worm species that are not aphroiditois, and they seem to be a mixed bag of detritivores. Mine always seemed to be picking at the rocks at night, but would very quickly gobble up flake food when I fed my serpent star at night.

If you really want something to worry about, then realize that they can regenerate their bodies if they break apart, even their head!
https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/local-news/bobbit-worms-split-sections-regenerate-6236955
And just be thankful prehistoric Bobbitts aren't around:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5318920/That one had mandibles that could probaly slice off your fingers with ease.


Seriously misunderstood creatures
https://arcreef.com/bristle-worms/bobbit-worm-eunice-aphroditois/

 

[KQuillan]

Ewwwwww.

 

[LiquidSpace]

Wow, that's an insane Eunice worm! Not a Bobbitt, though, as Eunice aphroiditois is likely (although very rarely) imported from the Indo Pacific, not the gulf. Although I've read their distribution extends across the coastal Atlantic warmer water, it seems like the "Bobbitt is mostly Indo-Pacific with the closest ambush predator relatives in the Brazilian coast (still a lot more to read on this). Not to say there aren't large Eunice worms in the Gulf that can hitchhike in on TBS rocks. There are MANY Eunice worm species that are not aphroiditois, and they seem to be a mixed bag of detritivores. Mine always seemed to be picking at the rocks at night, but would very quickly gobble up flake food when I fed my serpent star at night.

If you really want something to worry about, then realize that they can regenerate their bodies if they break apart, even their head!
https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/local-news/bobbit-worms-split-sections-regenerate-6236955
And just be thankful prehistoric Bobbitts aren't around:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5318920/That one had mandibles that could probaly slice off your fingers with ease.


Seriously misunderstood creatures
https://arcreef.com/bristle-worms/bobbit-worm-eunice-aphroditois/

There’s a Lorena Bobbit joke in here somewhere.

 

[JoJosReef]

There’s a Lorena Bobbit joke in here somewhere.

Non-millenial alert!

 

[LiverockRocks Verified Sponsor]

This is a Bobbit. A couple of weeks ago my GF spotted it when we were looking through the aquarium at night. I didn’t wanna believe it and thought it was just a bristle. After seeing it a few more times it was confirmed after seeing a few posts on here.

I was ready to break my tank down and get him out. Thankfully I spotted him last night and this am making small piles of sand in the sandbed. I always thought it was a pistol shrimp making the mounds in the sand cause we constantly hear the clicking and popping. Low and behold he popped his head out ! I tried to grab em with some tongs and it was a no go.

I was able to move some rocks to the side, lifted the biggest heaviest rock off the bottom that he was in.

Almost to the top, and he popped out swimming in the water. AHHHHHHHH I was screaming like a girl the whole time!

Was able to grab him with a strainer and toss him in a bucket. He’s OUT! Hopefully that was the only one.

The only rock I put in was from TBS. I knew I could get pests and hitchhikers but wanted the biological. Well that’s what comes along with it. Be careful out there.

Incredible and thank you for sharing.

Agree with @JoJosReef this is a type of Eunice worm. With all the rock that passes through our hands, it is a rarity. We found one similar in size when moving warehouses, it was in a sandy cryptic location living in an area where debris collected. Being unique to see, J delivered it to FWC biologists. Creepy looking for sure!

With your permission, may we use this image in our hitchhiker category?

I’ve had a few gorillas as well, one of them was massive

For easy gorilla trapping, read here: How to catch a Gorilla Crab.