How to catch a worm

[jdellman]

Help me catch a worm!! I posted a picture of it before, and people thought it was a bristle worm. However, it killed two feather dusters, and I do not want to put anything else in the tank until it is gone.

I tried using a submerged bottle with shrimp at the bottom, and only caught a few snails and crabs. I tried sucking it up with a turkey baster, but whenever I get too close it bolts, and it is fast.

I've read the posts about squirting boiling water into its hole, but I am not sure what hole he goes into, as he seems to disappear between the rocks.

Any ideas on how to get rid of it?

 

[drummereef]

Can you get a pic of your worm? Are you positive it's not a bristleworm?

 

[jdellman]

Here is the thread that I posted the pictures in-

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1116257

After reading about them, I thought it may be a bristle worm and that the feather duster was either sick or not properly acclimated. So that is why I tried again, with the same result, the worm ate the feather duster. I came home and saw it by its crown, so I tried to rescue the feather duster and put it in the sump, but it did not help.

So, I do not want to take any further chances, so I would like to get it out of the tank.

 

[Sk8r]

Get a half liter wine carafe and tilt it against the rock, bait it with uncooked shrimp, and leave it overnight. WOrms don't climb slick glass well.

 

[bertoni]

There are many species of bristleworms, and some are predatory. Unfortunately, I don't know of a really reliable way to catch them. You could try some bait wrapped in a nylon, for example, and hope that the worm gets caught by its bristles.

 

[kuoka]

I've caught several by using silver sides to lure them out then using tongs. Here's a link that might help. Good luck.

http://www.netpets.com/fish/reference/reefref/bristle2.html

 

[kuoka]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10215785#post10215785 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kuoka
I've caught several by using silver sides to lure them out then using tongs. Here's a link that might help. Good luck.

http://www.netpets.com/fish/reference/reefref/bristle2.html

Ps. It's a long read but seems pretty good. If you to go straight to the good stuff, it starts on page 2 (hit Next) to the section that describes home made traps.

 

[jdellman]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. All I need now is a little luck.

 

[tush]

i have had to catch a couple bristles...
i will feed the tank, and i have a foot long pair of tweezers/pinchers that i use...wait for them to stick their heads out and GOTCHA!
i actually found the tweezers at the hardware store for about 5 bucks...