Green Eunicid Worms - The bad ones?

M

Michelle

Premium Member
While cleaning the tank and hunting down Aiptasia on the bottom of a chalice I grabbed the first one thinking I was removing a snail shell that was stuck to the chalice. Was wearing gloves but could feel the absolute muscular strength of the worm! First thought was SNAKE (brittle worms may give you a tussle, but nothing like this) so of course I went girly and dropped the worm in the tank.
There was a thick membrane with sand and small rocks "stuck" to the bottom of the chalice and when I pulled that away there was the 2nd smaller one. This one I got in a cup. Read the stories of these guys growing to 6-10ft long and eating corals so grabbed a net and got the other one out. Mine are green, 5" and 3" . . . did they come in on the chalice last year or are they off-spring???? . . . . anyone know if the green variety are the bad guys?
 
Looks like a bad guy to me. Smoosh it. Worms do reproduce readily in the tank, so I would keep a close eye at night, maybe get yourself a red light so you can go worm hunting. You definitely want those out of the tank. I'd also invest in some serious long forceps for those.
 
Yes, these guys are nasty. If you poke them they do not run like bristle worms, they strike! Very aggressive behavior. I critter hunt at least 2x a week and have never seen these guys. I will certainly check all future corals and rocks for the tell-talel signs and firm believer in gloves now.

Maybe I should give them to Howard for the pred tank.
 
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