Anyone know what this is?

[fantastic4]

Heres a picture of the "Big" one

He's made a den in the sand. Some sort of spider web stuff near the opening. In the picture he is lying against the back wall of the tank in the sand. You can see the burrow.

This guy may be a foot, maybe more. He makes this wave movement with his body, like a crowd doing the "wave" very strange. I'm scared of this sucker, I'm not sure what to do with him. I have a very mature tank. This guy may have been growing for 6 years or more?

I think I can catch him by making a huge tong and grabbing him, but I think he may bite me or sting me with those britsles.

His body glows a sort of greenish blue as he makes the wave.

Any ideas what he is?

 

[Honigbiene]

Looks Like a very large Fire worm

 

[LeslieH]

It's Oenone fulgida which prefers clams & snails to any other type of food. In the absence of molluscs it will eat other organisms. Not a fireworm and doesn't have stinging bristles. Just get some kitchen gloves if you don't want to handle it. You may be able to lure it out with a clam in a bottle trap.

 

[fantastic4]

Thank you so much LeslieH,

If I can catch him, do you want him?

 

[fantastic4]

I just googled the worm and read this http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/rs/index.php This worm does excatly what the article states... it leaves a mucus covering over it's eaten food. Snails, hermits, and what ever else it can catch.

 

[LeslieH]

Sure, since you're in LA and transfer should be easy! I'll send you some contact details in a PM.

 

[Honigbiene]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7389596#post7389596 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LeslieH
It's Oenone fulgida which prefers clams & snails to any other type of food. In the absence of molluscs it will eat other organisms. Not a fireworm and doesn't have stinging bristles.

Is there a name that you generally classify this as leslie?

 

[LeslieH]

I normally use scientific names because the common names just cause too much confusion! So to me, this particular worm is in Phylum Annelida (= ringed worms), Class Polychaeta (= many bristles), Family Oenonidae (= name of a nymph in Greek mythology + idae which means family), genus Oenone (Greek nymph), species fulgida (= Latin word for shining, referring to the shiny skin). To a reefer I guess this might be the "evil clam-eating devil worm" :lol:

 

[Honigbiene]

I agree scientific names work alot better, i had just never heard what you were talking about so i was trying to familarize myself.
Thanks! I`ll keep my eyes out for them

 

[rosinsk1772]

im from rhode island and we call those sand worms. they got crazy teeth, and are nasty buggers.

 

[fantastic4]

LeslieH,

I tried to catch them with traps last night. All my traps failed. I'm going to have to break down my rocks this weekend or next to get at them. Also, when I set the traps I noticed, I have more than one! Two or three maybe more? They all kept coming out of the same rock area sniffing out my mysis shrimp bait.

I'll bag them and mail them to you, thier all yours!

 

[LeslieH]

Not so fast! Please!!! I'm heading off for 2 weeks of collecting and I don't want boxes of live worms rotting in the office while I'm away!!:sad2: