JMcAz7
Vanilla Ice Impersonator
So, I've been fighting Fulgida worms for the past month or so in my 24G nano. They ate my clam, pillaged my snails, and possible killed my Zoas (maybe not eaten them, but annoyed the hell out of them.)
Anyway, with the trap I designed a couple of days ago I've caught 6 big ones (I think I had 8-9 large ones total, but it's hard to tell), up from the zero I caught before. I just wanted to share what's worked for me.
Every trap idea I've heard I've tried, and it took combining a few of them to come on one that works. It involves less than $10 in parts, a hacksaw, and a drill. That's it!
Parts
Parts Are:
1.) PVC Pipe (Mine it 14"x1" Schedule 40 PVC)
2.) (2) PVC Endcaps of appropriate size.
3.) Fishing Line (Any strength will do)
4.) Panty Hose/Kneehighs ($.50 at Wal-Mart)
5.) Bait (They seem to respond extremely well to scallops)
Assembly
1.) Drill a ~1/4" hole in one of the endcaps for the worms to enter.
2.) On only one end of the pipe, saw a slit about 1/4 of the way through the pipe approximately 1" from the end. This is where the fishing line will be fed through.
3.) Tie a slipknot in the fishing line and feed the loop though the slit in the pipe. Make sure you leave enough of a tail on the fishing line so it sticks out of the tank.
Line fed through the pipe.
4.) Place the bait in the kneehigh/pantyhose (pantyhoe?), and feed through the pipe, starting at the end of the pipe with the slit.
Pantyhose in pipe.
5.) Trim the open end of the pantyhose as needed. You want the bait end to run the length of the pipe but not stick out the end. You also need some excess on the open end as well.
Excess display. Why yes, I WAS a hand model.
6.) Place the endcaps on. Remember that the one with the hole goes on the open end of the pantyhose (if I don't say it, someone will probably mess it up..
Viola!
Usage:
Using it is pretty easy. Once the lights go out, put the baited trap on the sandbed, and come back in an hour or 2. If you have Fulgida worms, they'll probably be sticking out of the hole while searching for the food. Simply pull the fishing line, which will tighten the pantyhose around the worm. Remove the trap and the worm will come with it.
Important Notes
1.) No one seems to know what the slime that comes off the worms really is or does, so it's probably best to avoid touching it or the worm. Gloves are suggested.
2.) The worms are EXTREMELY light sensitive and EXTREMELY fast, which is why these guys are so hard to get with tweezers. Use a red flashlight (coloring a flashlight with red Sharpie seems to work ok, but they eventually notice.) They will withdraw IMMEDIATELY with normal light.
3.) When pulling the line on the trap, don't pull any harder than you have to. My first trap didn't have the panty hose, and I preceeded to cut every worm in half.
So that's my trap. Please let me know if this helps anyone out at all. Thanks!
Anyway, with the trap I designed a couple of days ago I've caught 6 big ones (I think I had 8-9 large ones total, but it's hard to tell), up from the zero I caught before. I just wanted to share what's worked for me.
Every trap idea I've heard I've tried, and it took combining a few of them to come on one that works. It involves less than $10 in parts, a hacksaw, and a drill. That's it!
Parts
Parts Are:
1.) PVC Pipe (Mine it 14"x1" Schedule 40 PVC)
2.) (2) PVC Endcaps of appropriate size.
3.) Fishing Line (Any strength will do)
4.) Panty Hose/Kneehighs ($.50 at Wal-Mart)
5.) Bait (They seem to respond extremely well to scallops)
Assembly
1.) Drill a ~1/4" hole in one of the endcaps for the worms to enter.
2.) On only one end of the pipe, saw a slit about 1/4 of the way through the pipe approximately 1" from the end. This is where the fishing line will be fed through.
3.) Tie a slipknot in the fishing line and feed the loop though the slit in the pipe. Make sure you leave enough of a tail on the fishing line so it sticks out of the tank.
Line fed through the pipe.
4.) Place the bait in the kneehigh/pantyhose (pantyhoe?), and feed through the pipe, starting at the end of the pipe with the slit.
Pantyhose in pipe.
5.) Trim the open end of the pantyhose as needed. You want the bait end to run the length of the pipe but not stick out the end. You also need some excess on the open end as well.
Excess display. Why yes, I WAS a hand model.
6.) Place the endcaps on. Remember that the one with the hole goes on the open end of the pantyhose (if I don't say it, someone will probably mess it up.
.
Viola!
Usage:
Using it is pretty easy. Once the lights go out, put the baited trap on the sandbed, and come back in an hour or 2. If you have Fulgida worms, they'll probably be sticking out of the hole while searching for the food. Simply pull the fishing line, which will tighten the pantyhose around the worm. Remove the trap and the worm will come with it.
Important Notes
1.) No one seems to know what the slime that comes off the worms really is or does, so it's probably best to avoid touching it or the worm. Gloves are suggested.
2.) The worms are EXTREMELY light sensitive and EXTREMELY fast, which is why these guys are so hard to get with tweezers. Use a red flashlight (coloring a flashlight with red Sharpie seems to work ok, but they eventually notice.) They will withdraw IMMEDIATELY with normal light.
3.) When pulling the line on the trap, don't pull any harder than you have to. My first trap didn't have the panty hose, and I preceeded to cut every worm in half.
So that's my trap. Please let me know if this helps anyone out at all. Thanks!
