Long centipede type worm ID needed....

I'm at war with them for about 3 months.

Currently the only way to catch them is with a trap (made using a bottle) containing 2, 3 little clams or mussels and do it in the night :hmm3:.

O.F. are ultra fast and highly sensitive to lights. To identify them I had to buy an infrared night-visor; because otherwise nothing was there (just empty snails in the morning !).

Today I caught 8 of about 10 inches (there are certainly 2 ....I hope no more but I am not so confident...)

I am not aware of other methods, but we have to find IT ! :furious:

I'm trying now to insert a crab "Stenorhynchus Seticornis" trying to see if it may at least control their babies. Friends are suggesting me also this fish "Coris Gaimard" - but I am not so confident about it. I'm investigationg about this fish.....too

HI, we must find a way to get them out from our tanks ! :beer:

Unfortunately, up to now, the only secure way to win is...unfortunately, throw away all rocks. :thumbdown

I want my clams back in my tank ! :inlove:

Ciao
 
Post a picture of the trap you are using. Also are you removing them with the trap or are you baiting them out and removing them with tweezers? Mine always keep the butt ends in the rock and just retract back when they are done eating. I have to remove all of mine with tweezers. No fun.
 
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...rium-staff-mysterious-attacks-coral-reef.html

article-1165930-03FD1AB7000005DC-269_468x329.jpg


Don't flush it... imagine that thing coming out of your toilet when you use it...
 
Wow :eek1: that thing is scary looking. To think we stick our hands in tanks and there could be something like that in there.
 
did you read the link? the thing is 4ft long and can cause permanent paralysis. Amazingly, people have set up species tanks for those monsters :p
 
Yeah I read the link that is crazy lol. Well if it causes permanent paralysis I could see it being used in place of botox :lmao: Ok we are going to shoot the ugly worm juice in your face to get rid of your wrinkles.
 
Eeew

I had one. I saw it one night and was able to take a couple of photos. I used all sorts of different traps but could never catch it. Every once in a while a fish would be missing, you know just 'poof' it was gone. I wondered if it could have been the worm. I do know it ate many of my LPS before I finally made the decision to tear the tank down to look for it.

So, one Thursday afternoon I filled a lot of bins with what I wanted living in my tank. Then I took all the rock out, put them in bins with about an inch of water. I was hoping that the worm would crawl out and I could catch it. Then I removed all the sand and sifted it just in case it was in the sand. By Sunday afternoon still nothing. So my next course of action was going to be set all the live rock out in the sun for a week to kill everything. :uzi: After talking to my LFS, they recommended putting the rocks in ziplocs and then into the freezer as that would kill everything sooner than sitting in the sand. I knew that I'd have to recycle everything again but it'd be worth it to get rid of it.

As I was using tongs to remove rock from the bins, I saw the worm and was able to catch it and get it out.

Good luck.
 

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These worms are very very different acting and looking from bristle worms. These have no bristles and have legs. They are also an extremely different looking color. Also there heads are very different. Look at the pictures and you will see the difference.
 
mscarpena said:
Post a picture of the trap you are using. Also are you removing them with the trap or are you baiting them out and removing them with tweezers? Mine always keep the butt ends in the rock and just retract back when they are done eating. I have to remove all of mine with tweezers. No fun.
Click to expand...

Hi,

Find here a little photo of the trap I made using simple bottle of water.
Remember that since the worm is usually longer than the bottle and since it is very quick to come out if disturbed , you must attach to the trap a nylon wire that you recover quickly when you see inside the worm eating. Remember: the slightest hint of light make the worm falls fast in his hole......and you lose it !

Up to now, I've found no other methods..(tweezers and similar - O.F. are too fast). For sure if you have a better ones, it's WELCOME and let me know!

Ciao
 

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I have removed 3 so far, and have just located another one. I have been looking under my tank to see where they are hiding. My sand is only 1-2", so if it's not under a rock I can just grab around in the sand and pluck them out. I use an LED flashlight with a piece of clear tape over it and just colored it red with a marker, instant infrared ;) I found that when I do heavy night feedings ALL nocturnal critters come out to feed. I just kill the return pump and let the food slurry in the tank for about an hour, then break out the flashlight and big tweezers. I am still thinking about using the bottle trick, but haven't got around to making it. BTW the first 2 I caught were out foraging in the moonlight I have on my tank, so it was just a matter of grabbing them out..

Good Luck!!!!!
 
IMO I do not think the bottle trick would work. I think he might have a different species of worm. I tried almost the same thing and never worked. You can always try it to see. IME tweezers are the best way. Glad to hear your making a dent in them. Good luck and keep up the good work.
 
Here some little photo of ones I take out with the trap made with the bottle.

Using the bootle as trap, you have to see O.F. inside it while eating and you have to be very fast getting the trap out from the tank. Because O.F. are very light sensitive and very fast to go back in the rocks, the only way I found to see them in the trap is to use a night infrared visor......otherwise NO CHANCES even to see them (I never seen them before...).

I'm making this task after 1 or 2 hours after the lights are turned off, of the tank and of the room too - around at midnight.

...and you have to be very, very, very patient....

Up to date I have not found other ways....Do you have ?

Ciao
 

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That would be them. Good luck with it working. I could see where if you pulled the trap up fast enough you might be able to suck them out of the rocks. I have not had success with this, but my worms were very large when I tried this trick. Mine was about 27" and at this point I do not have anywhere to put the trap so I can not try it. Give it a shot what do you have to loose.
 
Do you never tried against them with "Stenorhynchus Seticornis" crab or with "Coris Gaimard" fish ?

Must be there some natural enimies of O.F......no idea ?
 
I have seen my 6 lined wrasse eat them. I caught one about 8 inches and ripped a few pieces off and he ate them right in front of me. I have come to conclude that he is currently eating the babies, but too small to eat the big guys.
 
Yes that is the species I am referring to. I agree that they will not take down large worms, but small ones they will eat. I also only feed my fish very lightly 3 times per week. I force them to forage in my tank and I think that forces them to eat more naturally.
 
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