I'm throwing my whole house away because of what I just found in my tank...If I have to see it, so do you!

[Mark Goode]

A bristle worm of the Eunice aphroditois variety or a close relative. While I don't trust Wiki for a lot of info, for this I'm hoping it's moderately benign if in error. Enlightening at least:

Eunice aphroditois - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Yes, a full size one is the stuff of nightmares. Some videos out there of them dining on passing fish that make for interesting viewing.

Cheers,
Ray

I thought the bobbit was an ambush predator, the things in the video were actively looking for someone to bite. I mean something to eat.

 

[rgulrich]

I thought the bobbit was an ambush predator, the things in the video were actively looking for someone to bite. I mean something to eat.

The Eunice aphroditois is an ambush predator - you are correct.
Cheers,
Ray

 

[Balthazar]

 

[AlyciaMarie]

That will be @Gumbies R Us when he tries to fish them out.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

That will be @Gumbies R Us when he tries to fish them out.

Nah, I'll be bare handing them out of the tank

 

[Crabs McJones]

I'm available for hire, I'll come take care of that for you in a jiffy

 

[AlyciaMarie]

Nah, I'll be bare handing them out of the tank

Let me know when this is happening so I can record it for the entertainment of all of our R2R fam.

 

[Reefer Matt]

 

[JoJosReef]

The Eunice aphroditois is an ambush predator - you are correct.
Cheers,
Ray

I highly doubt this is an aphroditois and is probably pretty distant on the Eunicidae tree. There are a bunch of Eunice worms and, I don't think most of the ones we find in our tanks are anything like aphroditois. I would imagine that this is a Eunice worm that came off of gulf live rock. @AlyciaMarie is this TBS / KP / GLR rocks?

 

[AlyciaMarie]

I highly doubt this is an aphroditois and is probably pretty distant on the Eunicidae tree. There are a bunch of Eunice worms and, I don't think most of the ones we find in our tanks are anything like aphroditois. I would imagine that this is a Eunice worm that came off of gulf live rock. @AlyciaMarie is this TBS / KP / GLR rocks?

Yep, TBS!

 

[ScottJ]

Okay, maybe that's dramatic, but I now have a severe case of the heebie-jeebies.

I have Hidden Cup Coral hitchhiker in my 40-oz pico tank. I was trying to get some pictures of it, so I turned the flow off and fed the coral. I regret that decision because almost as soon as I did, these creatures emerged out of the dark for the first time. There isn't just one...There aren't just two...There are THREE of these in my 40-oz pico tank (the display is only 20-oz). One of them even seemed to try to bite my Hidden Cup Coral??

My guess is some little Euclid or Dorvilleidae worms. Either way, I don't want to turn my back on my tiny reef for fear that one is going to come out of the water and suck my brains.

Look on in disgust with me!

Here is the first mini-monster...



Here is the second that seems to try to take a bite of my coral (second 48)...

You can't even pay me to watch these!

 

[AlyciaMarie]

You can't even pay me to watch these!

Common, Scott! Don't you want to join in my misery? At least you're not sharing a roof with them!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I highly doubt this is an aphroditois and is probably pretty distant on the Eunicidae tree. There are a bunch of Eunice worms and, I don't think most of the ones we find in our tanks are anything like aphroditois. I would imagine that this is a Eunice worm that came off of gulf live rock. @AlyciaMarie is this TBS / KP / GLR rocks?

I will say we will probably buy TBS rock again for our next tank!

 

[JoJosReef]

Yep, TBS!

I've had a bunch of these worms. They are for sure more concerning than bristleworms (one attacked my tongs when I tried to catch it once), but I'd take these any day of the week over an Oenone fulgida or a few others that prey on livestock. In my experience watching them, they mostly munch on the liverock and catch detritus. I had one that really loved flake food, though, and would come right out to grab it from my tongs if I went slow and had the lights off with just my red flashlight on. I did see them sniffing around my snails a bit too often, though, so I was always wary if they were after my CUC.

 

[JoJosReef]

@AlyciaMarie BTW, amazing videos. Some of the best captures I've seen of these worms. They're usually pretty reclusive and very fast to dart back into their holes.

 

[dvgyfresh]

I've had a bunch of these worms. They are for sure more concerning than bristleworms (one attacked my tongs when I tried to catch it once), but I'd take these any day of the week over an Oenone fulgida or a few others that prey on livestock. In my experience watching them, they mostly munch on the liverock and catch detritus. I had one that really loved flake food, though, and would come right out to grab it from my tongs if I went slow and had the lights off with just my red flashlight on. I did see them sniffing around my snails a bit too often, though, so I was always wary if they were after my CUC.

he was just letting you know if you forgot the flakes one day the snails were next up

 

[ScottJ]

Common, Scott! Don't you want to join in my misery? At least you're not sharing a roof with them!

NOPE! Haven't had lunch yet!

 

[Crabs McJones]

 

[AlyciaMarie]

I've had a bunch of these worms. They are for sure more concerning than bristleworms (one attacked my tongs when I tried to catch it once), but I'd take these any day of the week over an Oenone fulgida or a few others that prey on livestock. In my experience watching them, they mostly munch on the liverock and catch detritus. I had one that really loved flake food, though, and would come right out to grab it from my tongs if I went slow and had the lights off with just my red flashlight on. I did see them sniffing around my snails a bit too often, though, so I was always wary if they were after my CUC.

Did you end up removing any them? I would prefer to get rid of them if they're not going to benefit my tank. Again, this is a 20-oz display, so I can't image they are going to have much room as time goes on.

 

[AlyciaMarie]

Again, @revhtree I am kindly requesting a vomiting reaction.