H. crispa swallowed a bristleworm???

[raoul]

This is creeping me out a little.

I saw something strange on my nem earlier today as we were walking out the door. I tried to move the tentacles around for a better view, but it just closed up.

I got a better view when we got home, and my husband confirmed what I thought I saw. There's a big bristle worm in my anemone's mouth.

The worm reacts to being touched it's still alive. My nem has been healthy, and we've been testing parameters regularly. The only thing that's off is phosphates (always run high, but we've made changes that we hope will change things, but that's a different topic). I watch my nem every day and haven't noticed any signs of stress. We watched it eat last night and it was fine.

I assume that the bristleworm is after the scallop piece from last night.

Is this normal? Is it okay for anemones to eat bristle worms if they get the chance? If not, is there anything we should be watching for?

My husband was able to get the worm, it was out of the mouth. It's not looking all that happy. It's about 2 1/2 inches long. It's not going back in the tank. Maybe it can hang out in my fuge.

Has anyone else had this happen?

 

[OldmillXxX]

No photo? That would be contest winner for sure!

 

[raoul]

It was really hard to see the worm. There were a lot of tentacles in the way and the disk was pushing it in too. I think the worm went after a meal, and then started becoming a meal! That must have been a surprise!

You're right, that would have been a good photo if I could have gotten a good shot. I can probably post a picture of the stupid worm

 

[Amphiprion]

I doubt it is an issue. I am sure mine has eaten plenty by now. I would think the chaetae would dissolve in the gut, so there shouldn't be issues there.

 

[raoul]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9018208#post9018208 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Amphiprion
I doubt it is an issue. I am sure mine has eaten plenty by now. I would think the chaetae would dissolve in the gut, so there shouldn't be issues there.

Thanks, that's what I was hoping to hear!
For clarification, is chaetae the bristles on the worm?

Husband said the worm wasn't looking too good, but I wouldn't expect anything less from something that's just been inside a digestive track

 

[macperry]

raoul: My female clown tried to drag a bristleworm out of her anem last night, and now she has a beard of bristles to show for it! I hope the bristles dissolve over time, she does not seem to be in pain or bothered by them. Never a dull moment in this "hobby"...gotta get busy trapping bristle worms. Keep in touch....and good luck with your new anem.

 

[raoul]

Thanks macperry!
I remember someone posting about bristles stuck in their clown, but I can't remember what people said about them...sorry, if I could remember, I'd pass it on.

FWIW - bristleworms are considered beneficial for the tanks. I wouldn't go hunting bristle worms just because of this. Although I stand by evicting this individual I'm sure my worm got a lot more than it bargained for!

 

[Amphiprion]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9018295#post9018295 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by raoul

For clarification, is chaetae the bristles on the worm?

Yes, sorry about that.

 

[raoul]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9020732#post9020732 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Amphiprion
Yes, sorry about that.

Don't worry about it I thought that's what they were, but I don't like to assume things, it doesn't work too well when I assume incorrectly

Thanks again!

macperry: I just read your other thread about the bristleworms in your tank. Forget what I said about hunting, I can see why you're thinning them out!

 

[hwyman]

we had a hermit crab that liked to go inside our sebaes mouth after food! got pics some where on my hard drive of it. I will see if I can find them.

 

[raoul]

Any luck?
Last week was this episode, this week in another tank I had a dendrophyllia eat a stomatella snail. This time I got pics and posted them They're in the LPS section if you're interested. Strange things happen in these waters!