Eunicid help!

[Pea-brain]

Hey.

I just found what I believe to be a eunicid worm in my tank. eek. I sucked it out right away. It has the four whiskers at the "head" which makes me think eunicid. It is kind of clearish and has red markings. VERY tiny. In fact, I'd like to keep it. What would I need to do to make this possible? I assume they are very hardy, and probably none too selective about food. I have a spare glass pickle jar I can use, but the temp may be in the low 70s most of the time. I'd really like to keep this lil guy alive and get him big. Any ideas how to do it? He's pretty neat....

I'm not even gonna attempt a pic. It is soooo tiny. Maybe about as long as 1/2 inch or so (max), about as thick as a dime.

Dan

 

[LeslieH]

Should be either 3 or 5 antennae for an eunicid. the fact that you mention 4 makes it think it's something else.

If it is an eunicid it's going to want to be hidden in a rock crevice or burrow most of the time. You won't see it very much. Give it a sand bottom with chucks of live rock to crawl around, some Chaetomorpha. It will probably eat any kind of fish food, maybe algae.

 

[Pea-brain]

Well its definitely not one of my fireworms or a bristleworm that I've ever seen. Very tiny, and those whiskers were about as thin as a tiny clear hair. It coulda been 5, and I know there were at least 4. I'm not positive because this is just the best I can do at squinting at something so tiny. Thanks for the help. Will I need an airline or other water ciculation or will a bi-daily water stir cover it?

Dan

 

[LeslieH]

It will certainly do better & grow better with constant aeration and stable water parameters.

 

[Pea-brain]

Of course I would try to provide these if possible. BUt unfortunately this interesting hitch hiker showed up at an unexpected time. I threw it in the pickle jar with a handful of established sand, a small rock, some tank water, and a bit of caulerpa. I figured it would do better in a low flow area than chaeto would. I will attempt to stir and add water movement as regularly as possible. I will soon be moving my air pump downstairs with the rest of my stuff, so I can hook it up with some air then. It's going to be difficult to figure out how much to feed though. I couldn't imagine more than a pellet of formula one a week, and that might be a strain.....

Dan