Awesome Worm I.D. Please!!!

[Troy-UF]

Hello
I was roaming around my tank the other day and noticed this guy underneath a rock. what's not shown in the picture is that when I found him he was hiding inside a cacoon. Wicked fast movement too...couldn't get a super clear pics .

Photo taken with iphone 4 (HDR was on)

Colors: purple body, neon green foot thingys (I think that's the technical term )

 

[kingfisher62]

I had something building a "cacoon" from a rock and onto a Candy cane. Was killing my candy cane so I pulled the coral out and scraped off the cacoon/ tube. Did not find any worm. I think it retreated back into the rock. Moved the candy cane and it sprung back . Dont know if the worm was eating the coral or just irritating it. I wonder if what you have was the culprit.

you can see the tube here

 

[Troy-UF]

hmm, I wonder. I've been looking all over google while I wait for people to reply with no luck .

I fight so hard to find out because I want to try and keep him if he does no harm.

Anyone else have any ideas?

 

[LeslieH]

It's an eunicid. They secrete mucus which solidifies & lines the walls of their burrows. Some species are harmless, some are omnivorous predators which will eat soft corals. The only way to know which kind of feeder you have is to check the other animals in your tank. If there's no damage then it's safe.

 

[Flippers4pups]

I had one eating my lobo years ago, had to remove some rock to remove the Eunicid worm.
From what i can see, you need to euthanize it.

 

[TellyFish]

Pics are blurry, but if it in fact an eunicid--SPARE your reef its presence immediately! I had a foot-long beast killing monster in my last tank. (although that's still pretty small for eunicid worms)

One night I had to bust out my 'Karate Kid' bandanna. Wrapped it around my forehead and dove in for some late night eunicid hunting! :uzi:

 

[mscarpena]

Leslie always beats me and I actually knew that one.

 

[Troy-UF]

Awesome! Thanks for the rapid response and all knowledge!!!

 

[kingfisher62]

Oh Great! Now I have to hunt mine down!

 

[AJSTITAN14]

I 100% believe that people have had terrorist worms but you need to take them on a case by case basis. We have a little green Eunicid and he just eats dead stuff.

These worms are so interesting I don't see a reason to kill one unless it's actually doing some harm. In the aquarium hobby patience is rewarded.

 

[TellyFish]

I 100% believe that people have had terrorist worms but you need to take them on a case by case basis.

I saw mine pull my cleaner shrimp into his cave at about 1500ft/second. The shrimp just folded up as it was pulled into this tiny cave! Yikes! :eek2: