What is this worm? Microscope Images + Video

[Cable]

Hello,

I have these worms in my tank and I cant figure out what type of worm they are. They are FAST and hide 99% of the time. I haven't seen them do anything bad though I do not like them. They are carnivorous as far as I can tell as when I had a fish die I saw multiple of these worms floating vertically eating the corpse (They did not kill the fish I knew it was going to die due to other reasons the night before).

The only way I have ever caught them has been by picking up the rock or shell they are hiding in. I have had little success with traps. They are honestly the reason I purchased my microscope. They also do not seem to like light.

I have removed them as much as possible but there are 100% more.

Below are pictures and videos of the worm under the microscope. I have one sample remaining (I got lucky and caught 2) in case I need to provide other angles etc...

I think it might be Oenone Fulgida but im unsure. (I really hope its not as I have no idea how I would remove them...)

Let me know what you all think.

(The video was too large to process so I am going to post it to my google drive and make it public)

Video Link:

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I've never looked at them under a microscope, but the last photo looks like a typical bristleworm to me. But as we all know, "bristleworm" is used to describe many varieties of similar looking polychaetes. The "typical" bw is a scavenger and won't kill anything (although they might start in on an almost dead fish...).

The bw's I have are very quick to retract when disturbed, as you've described.

If you've noticed them for a while but haven't had any unexplained losses of fish or inverts, I would venture to guess they are not Oenone Fulgida.

 

[Cable]

I've never looked at them under a microscope, but the last photo looks like a typical bristleworm to me. But as we all know, "bristleworm" is used to describe many varieties of similar looking polychaetes. The "typical" bw is a scavenger and won't kill anything (although they might start in on an almost dead fish...).

The bw's I have are very quick to retract when disturbed, as you've described.

If you've noticed them for a while but haven't had any unexplained losses of fish or inverts, I would venture to guess they are not Oenone Fulgida

 

[Cable]

Interesting. I will keep my eye on them for the meantime. I took out 5 yesterday so who knows how many there are. They seem to only constantly come out when I add something new to the tank. Thanks for your reply.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Interesting. I will keep my eye on them for the meantime. I took out 5 yesterday so who knows how many there are. They seem to only constantly come out when I add something new to the tank. Thanks for your reply.

"Something new" as in fish or coral? If it's fish, that is worrisome. If it's coral, there might be something dead on the frag /plug/etc that they are taking care of...

 

[Cable]

"Something new" as in fish or coral? If it's fish, that is worrisome. If it's coral, there might be something dead on the frag /plug/etc that they are taking care of...

Some thing new as in coral from what I have observed. (My fish are all in a HT undergoing treatment currently). I have yet to see these worms eat coral. Hopefully it stays this way.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Some thing new as in coral from what I have observed. (My fish are all in a HT undergoing treatment currently). I have yet to see these worms eat coral. Hopefully it stays this way.

So, are you still feeding the tank while the fish are absent?
It may be that the worms are hungry and that's why you see them out more often...
Of course, reducing extra food in the tank is also the best way to control their population.

 

[Cable]

I have been only feeding coral to provide nutrients while the fish are absent and to maintain beneficial bacteria. My pod population has exploded though I think because of the coral food.

I'm still not sure what the worms eat on a regular basis. If it is Oenone Fulgida then there is very little data available regarding they're behavior and life cycle other than they eat snails and clams. If I knew how long they lived/how long they can do without eating starvation could be a potential strategy.

If they get identified as Oenone Fulgida or a different predator I will likely need to capture one to throw in a spare tank to test removal/eradication methods...

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello,

I have these worms in my tank and I cant figure out what type of worm they are. They are FAST and hide 99% of the time. I haven't seen them do anything bad though I do not like them. They are carnivorous as far as I can tell as when I had a fish die I saw multiple of these worms floating vertically eating the corpse (They did not kill the fish I knew it was going to die due to other reasons the night before).

The only way I have ever caught them has been by picking up the rock or shell they are hiding in. I have had little success with traps. They are honestly the reason I purchased my microscope. They also do not seem to like light.

I have removed them as much as possible but there are 100% more.

Below are pictures and videos of the worm under the microscope. I have one sample remaining (I got lucky and caught 2) in case I need to provide other angles etc...

I think it might be Oenone Fulgida but im unsure. (I really hope its not as I have no idea how I would remove them...)

Let me know what you all think.

(The video was too large to process so I am going to post it to my google drive and make it public)

Video Link:

If not a bristle worm may be a lumbrinerid worm which seeks uneaten food but in the pic with the shells appears as bristle worm.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

My pod population has exploded though I think because of the coral food.

Food plus no predators!

 

[Cable]

If not a bristle worm may be a lumbrinerid worm which seeks uneaten food but in the pic with the shells appears as bristle worm.

Got it I will look into images of lumbrinerid worms under a microscope and compare it. They eyes of the worm im dealing with is what's throwing me off. (Image from my video)

 

[Cable]

Food plus no predators!

Right. The fish will have a feast when they return in 45 days.

 

[Hadla]

Yep they’re oenone fulgida! They look like orange millipedes with black eyes and zoom back into their tunnel when they sense any movement! The dead giveaway is no bristles at all but tiny “legs” on each side giving them that millipede look

im amazed you were able to catch them!

 

[Cable]

Yep they’re oenone fulgida! They look like orange millipedes with black eyes and zoom back into their tunnel when they sense any movement! The dead giveaway is no bristles at all but tiny “legs” on each side giving them that millipede look

im amazed you were able to catch them!

I'm tempted to catch one and test eradication techniques on it in one of QT tanks. Pointing a laser at its head (if even possible this is kind of brutal which is not ideal), feeding it clam soaked in metro, etc....

Or just adding one of those Regius Cone Snails and seeing what happens. Though I need to heavily research these.

There has to be a reef safe way to eliminate polychaetes... good or bad.

 

[Hadla]

Believe me, I researched predators on them for months on here and they’re the only ones available to buy. There are other people who dealt with them years ago and used the cone snail

 

[Cable]

Quick update for any one still following...

I have mastered the art catching these worms with a sharp pair of tweezers. I went on a rampage pulling out probably a dozen or more over the course of a few weeks including one worm that was at least 6 inches.

Since then I have seen one remaining worm, very rarely, that was evading my attempts of catching it.

Well this morning at 5:30am I walk down stairs and do my usual tank inspection before heading off to work and I saw the worm stuffing its body into a vermintide snail presumingly eating it. The sight was actually pretty cool as the worms thin body perfectly fit into the opening tube of the vermintide snail. Up until this point I have only ever seen these worms eat once and that was when a fish who did not acclimate well died over night. I was tempted to leave it as it was eating a pest but but decided to remove it while I had the opportunity (im sure that's not the only one..).

The worms still have caused no problems that I am aware of. I have baby snails (good types) roaming around and they have been untouched. I now know the worms food source and will continue to remove them.

Just thought it was worth a share.

 

[Hadla]

Yeah you did the best thing at removing it! If I still had any, I’d keep one in a 10g by itself. After dealing with them, I’m going to isolate any new rock I get before adding to one of my tanks cause I’m terrified of accidentally getting them again