Tank Journal Archive

[ezza]

Long story short: the next generation of worms is coming along. They are emerging from certain rocks in numbers when the lights drop at night. I saw a couple approaching drinking straw thickness- I have no reasonable way to catch them. I've noticed some damage to a few corals which may be signs of chomping. There has also been a bit of a burst of algae growth in a couple of places (I often notice a connection between algae and worms). I cleaned out my reactor this evening, so hopefully that will help clear up the algae. I need to do a water change but need more salt and I have two assignments due this week. I'll get that done ASAP.

Aside from 2 wrasses and red line shrimp (or whatever they are), I am not sure what to do. Coke bottle and stocking traps never worked for me in the past. The successful removal of the massive fireworm from hell was thanks to peroxide, tweezers/tongs and fresh water. I just don't have the physical strength to remove all the corals and rocks again. I shouldn't have done it last time either- it's basically deadlifting at least 20-30kg depending on the quantity of water in the largest rocks. If I did remove stuff, it'd have to be the end of things and I really don't want to shut down.

I wish there was a motorised vacuum thingy that had a small gauge hole on the end of a long tube thingy so you could just poke it where you need and suck specific things like worms inside *schluuup!*. I struggle to grab the worms with pincer tools because the aquarium is so deep. They disappear as soon as I get near.

Any ideas are appreciated. Am I the only one overcome by worms?

 

[IJG3145]

"Most" worm populations are in direct proportion to the amount of overfeeding taking place. They are considered a good benchmark for feeding regimes.

 

[ezza]

"Most" worm populations are in direct proportion to the amount of overfeeding taking place. They are considered a good benchmark for feeding regimes.

dude. i don't overfeed! i am a bad lady who leaves days between feeds at times. my fish are fat but i always leave them wanting more. the worms have been there since the first bit of liverock went in.. and i unfortunately picked up some new ones when i bought another reefer's rock and corals recently. i knew i would come to regret that, but it's what happens. yes they are always there... but i just happen to get alot of them and get the odd one that grows bloody huge. there isn't much that is more disturbing than seeing a worm at least 40cm long and an inch wide trying to catch your tang and foxface... or seeing the worm stretch out of its hole down to the "coke bottle trap" and never actually fully emerging from the hidey hole while going inside the bottle... then when you try to catch it, it whips back up and squishes so deep inside the rock that the only way to remove it is actually remove the boulder and pour peroxide on it, then cut it into pieces becvause the damn thing is so strong it is clinging to the rock and won't let go. 0_0

 

[Savage Henry]

This might not help you much, but I always find that when my bristleworms get to a large size they tend to just live underneath the rocks rather than inside them.

So, if you could manage to lift one rock up, you might find one sitting underneath it. And use a stick to swoosh it out to an open space.

Also, I don't kill my large bristleworm anymore, but when I did I always found them to move quite slowly in the open. They are more prone to shrinking in a semicircle rather than heading for a rock.

 

[ezza]

This might not help you much, but I always find that when my bristleworms get to a large size they tend to just live underneath the rocks rather than inside them.

So, if you could manage to lift one rock up, you might find one sitting underneath it. And use a stick to swoosh it out to an open space.

Also, I don't kill my large bristleworm anymore, but when I did I always found them to move quite slowly in the open. They are more prone to shrinking in a semicircle rather than heading for a rock.

My problem is fireworms!! They are nasty buggers and they live inside the rocks. I have previously broken live rock open and found they have nests inside mussel shells etc inside the live rock. I also caught about 10 Eunice worms. Fireworms are like Satan's bristleworms. As hey get larger they leave invisible calcareous "hairs" on rocks and corals.. anything they climb on, you pick them up in your skin. They're invisible, but hey cause me to break out in hives and Within a week or so all the skin comes off your hand. It's fabulous!

Here are some of the pics from the last 2 occasions.

I honestly can't lift the rocks. Because of the depth of the tank, the weight of the rocks and my spinal fusion... it is the most physically difficult thing and excruciatingly painful.

 

[Savage Henry]

I have the Fireworms too. I don't think they are bad (aside from the bristle issue you speak of). But those damned Eunice worms: I had them in the past but got rid of them with a hammer and chisel. The Eunice worms actually dragged small soft coral frags underneith rocks and ate them.

I'd try to put up a picture of the fireworms I have so you can see that I have them too. The BIG bristleworms I have sort of become rigid when you catch them and not at all like the other worms.

 

[ezza]

I have the Fireworms too. I don't think they are bad (aside from the bristle issue you speak of). But those damned Eunice worms: I had them in the past but got rid of them with a hammer and chisel. The Eunice worms actually dragged small soft coral frags underneith rocks and ate them.

I'd try to put up a picture of the fireworms I have so you can see that I have them too. The BIG bristleworms I have sort of become rigid when you catch them and not at all like the other worms.

Henry, I saw some of these ballsy larger worms hanging out just under the edge of a rock. I grabbed some long kitchen tongs and lifted a couple of small rocks and was able to grab the worms before they hid. I did pull one worm apart that was wrapped around an acro, but I think I got it all. There are plenty of little worms ready to grow up, but for now some that I could see causing damage are gone.

 

[Savage Henry]

Here are some picture of my worm in action in the tank:

 

[Savage Henry]

Here is another that I captured.

Note: I put this one back in the tank as I really don't think these ones cause any damage. Nevertheless, one wonders whether it's gotten so big it's outgrown the tank and should be removed as there are many small ones that will eventually reach this size????

 

[Savage Henry]

Here is the most bizarre worm I have ever caught in my tank.

 

[ezza]

Here is another that I captured.

Note: I put this one back in the tank as I really don't think these ones cause any damage. Nevertheless, one wonders whether it's gotten so big it's outgrown the tank and should be removed as there are many small ones that will eventually reach this size????

I'm going to have nightmares!! I can't believe you have them so happily trotting around and you are not suffering any problems because of them. I have chunks taken out of corals and some corals that are being harassed are showing ill effects (like a hammer closing up) because the worms are invading their skeletons etc.

 

[Savage Henry]

I'm going to have nightmares!! I can't believe you have them so happily trotting around and you are not suffering any problems because of them. I have chunks taken out of corals and some corals that are being harassed are showing ill effects (like a hammer closing up) because the worms are invading their skeletons etc.

Sounds like aunty Eunice is having her way with your corals Ezza.

At one stage I had a Eunice worm that would build tubes directly to my zoas and then begin eating them from inside out. When I shined a red torch at night I could see the dark coloured worm pass through the tubes. It moved like lightening! I got rids of these worms ages ago with the hammer and chisel method.

I do have one Eunice-like worm and I see it almost every time I look for it, but it lives below some poly zoas and zoas and I have never seen any damage to a coral from this worm. I've been watching it for almost three years now.

I think the big fat bristle worms that become rigid when you catch them and that don't stretch out really long like the other worms, are OK. But again, maybe once they reach 20 cms and can't even live inside live rock cause they're too fat, they are ready to leave the tank....

 

[Savage Henry]

I guess one other thing to think about is why do they bother exposing themselves and patrolling the sand at night if they are coral eaters when they could just as easily travel through your live rock to any coral they chose to eat?

 

[ezza]

BEHOLD!! I spent several hours removing worms by hand from my rock pile on the right. It averaged around 1 hour per rock. I soaked each one in fresh water (I started with RO, but then stopped caring and just used tap water). I used my trusty NAQUA frag tool kit to poke and prod and a turkey baster to loosen detritus. The end result was a mother-load of evil worms. It's exhausting, but I feel I achieved something in getting so many out.

I have damaged some beautiful Zoas, but there are polyps so they will regrow. I also removed some ugly Zoas that were going insane. I am a bit sad that I have probably killed a yellow Acro that is partially why I did this... but saying that, it was really badly attacked and suffering so if it is dead... it's not the end of the world. My SPS in general are doing ok, I can buy more coral. Happily, my @Bataviacoralfarm corals are doing well. Even dunking one of them (a purple/green one similar to a pocci) in fresh water and having it out of he tank for an hour hasn't harmed it. <3

 

[ezza]

*sigh* one of the rocks was oozing worms. I gave it another going over and got several out. It's crazy. I so need to do a water change.