Kenya Coral Tree Mystery Solved

Tala · Nov 21, 2008

After weeks of a very large Kenya coral falling to bits and disintegrating without any explanation

I decided to try and save a few bits of it that still looked healthy, I cut about 6 pieces off and placed them in different positions in the tank to see if it was a positional problem that wiped out the mother coral. Over the next few nights all of the frags vanished without a trace

. This morning one of the lads at my LFS gave me a decent frag of Kenya which I placed in the tank, tonight I happened to be looking in the tank with my red light and finally the mystery was solved, two yes TWO Bobbit worms were tucking into the newly placed frag

. I knew I had a few Bristle worms but not Bobbit worms (they are so freaky:shock

and I have never heard of them eating corals.
I guess I'm going to have to try and get shot of them somehow and this is where I was hoping for some advice, can anybody help me out please? I have not got the foggiest on how to get rid of them

they shot off like rockets when the realized they had been spotted. So any help would be a blessing

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New on here and to forums in general so I hope I have posted this in the right place

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Jan · Nov 21, 2008

Wow...you had two of these in your tank?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkUSx6aQGXU

It's your own personal "TREMORS...the fish tank" :lol: :razz:

returnofsid · Nov 21, 2008

OMG, you mean like this guy???

Pentagona · Nov 21, 2008

CREEPY! The recomended remedy is baiting any old small fish trap. These guys can retract into their holes upwards of nearly 20ft/second so cathing them by hand is unlikely. How big is your worm? Most Eunicids are relatively harmless, though the bigger ones (usually 1/4" and larger diameter) can become quite predatory. And yes, if this is the case, they can and will eat sessile inverts.

Pentagona · Nov 21, 2008

I should rephrase my response to "Most SMALL Eunicids are relatively harmless..."

Tala · Nov 22, 2008

Yes they are the very ones as pictured, the bigger of the two is at least 8 inch long but some of it was still in its hole so could be longer and its about 1/4 inch across its back. I don't think getting them out by hand is an option, they move a lot quicker than Bristle worms. I could rip all my rock-scape apart and try the old fresh water trick on the two rocks they reside in which would be a right pain. I think I will take the route Pentagona suggested and try trapping but can anybody advise on what type of trap?
To give you some idea of the damage they have caused, the mother coral (Kenya) had 4 trunks and was 6" across its base and about 8" tall and today there is not a single fragment left and they done all that in less than a month.
I just hope when they get hungry in the future they leave the rest of my corals and fish alone.
Thanx for the comments so far ppl.
Ian

p.s. if I get chance will take a few piccies