What is it????

[LeslieH]

Hi Vicki - Got your PM. Definitely not an amphinomid (= fireworm and what most reefers call a bristleworm). It could be an eunicid but I can't really see enough of the details to be sure. Can you get a close up of the head region? Or take a look at my eunicid & phyllodocid pages & decide if what you have is similar. Oenonids also produce lots of slime as do phyllodocids.

eunicid heads: http://www.nhm.org/guana/bvi-invt/bvi-surv/worm-g04.htm[/url]
phyllodocid head: http://www.nhm.org/research/annelida/research.html
oenonid head: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/rs/index.php

ARe the pellets green from algae or do you have some kind of green polyps or other critters in your tank that it could be eating?

 

[Vicki]

Hi Vicki - Got your PM. Definitely not an amphinomid (= fireworm and what most reefers call a bristleworm). It could be an eunicid but I can't really see any of the details to be sure. Can you get a close up of the head region? Or take a look at my eunicid page & decide if what you have is similar.
http://www.nhm.org/guana/bvi-invt/bvi-surv/worm-g04.htm

ARe the pellets green from algae or do you have some kind of green polyps or other critters in your tank that it could be eating?

Hi Leslie,

That was certainly quick!

There are some green star polyps in the tank, but everything else is a leather of sorts.

Here's the best shot I have of it's head. The worm is on a piece of wax paper.

 

[LeslieH]

From that picture I'd guess Oenone fulgida but I'm still not sure. The appendages are stuck to the body like wet hair after a shower. When taking pictures of marine critters keep them in water so the appendages apread out in their natural position.

 

[Vicki]

From that picture I'd guess Oenone fulgida but I'm still not sure. The appendages are stuck to the body like wet hair after a shower. When taking pictures of marine critters keep them in water so the appendages apread out in their natural position.

Would you like me to try to get another picture?

What should I do with this critter?

Thanks again,

Vicki

 

[tike]

Hurry Vicky!!!! I waiting to see what it is!!!

 

[LeslieH]

Please. Oenone is not something most people want in their tanks. It's a mollusc eater. It comes out at night to find snails & clams then covers them in slime. I don't think anyone knows if the slime is toxic or suffocates the mollusc or keeps scavengers away from it. They'll even go after Tridacnas. If there aren't any molluscs in a tank they'll eat detritus, turn scavenger, or go after other things.

 

[Vicki]

This guy can certainly produce slime. I cleaned out his tank about an hour ago, and it's everywhere again.

I wish I could get some better shots for you but this is about as good as my camera is capable of:

 

[LeslieH]

Better, thanks! It is Oenone. Since I believe worms are the highest form of life I'd keep him (if I had a tank that is :lol: ) but not everyone feels the same way. If you're going to get rid of it I have a worm-loving colleague in Puyallup that might want it for his personal collection.

 

[Vicki]

Better, thanks! It is Oenone. Since I believe worms are the highest form of life I'd keep him (if I had a tank that is :lol: ) but not everyone feels the same way. If you're going to get rid of it I have a worm-loving colleague in Puyallup that might want it for his personal collection.

Thanks so much for the identification. I'll be doing some researching to try to find out more about this guy. Do you suppose there are more still living in my tank? There's probably at least 300 pounds of rock in the tank! Are they at all dangerous to people? Can I pick him up with my hands? He looks so soft and fuzzy.

If you tell me your friend's last name is Dillon, I'll fall off my chair!

Thanks again so much!
Vicki

 

[LeslieH]

Could be more. They live in crevices and normally come out only at night. If possible they keep their posterior ends inside their crevices which helps them rapidly retract back into it if a predator like you shows up. Dangerous.... well one could bite you (big jaws) and even tho' the bristles are much less nasty than fireworm bristles they still could prick you. Use a pair of kitchen gloves just to be safe.

Stay on your chair. His last name is Ruff.