hi, i just found a madusa worm in my refugium. it's probably about 5 inches long. right now he's crawling around in the chaeto. i can't seem to find any info on them. can anyone tell me if they're good or bad? what does he eat? how big will he get? any info would be a big help. thanks
madusa worm
- Thread starter markcerm
- Start date
Tennyson
Active member
I would like to know about these too. I see them being sold online, are those the same as the hitchiker markcerm found? Or is it a larger species?
Anywya, markcerm, from what I've learned (the ones online being sold) they are cucumbers and will release toxins when they die/when they are stressed.
They are filter feeders, and I believe they have very sticky skin and like to attach themselves to something/somewhere they can get good flow.
Anywya, markcerm, from what I've learned (the ones online being sold) they are cucumbers and will release toxins when they die/when they are stressed.
They are filter feeders, and I believe they have very sticky skin and like to attach themselves to something/somewhere they can get good flow.
philter4
New member
Not sure what species you are talking about, but medusa and speghettii worms are segmented worms of the family Terebellida. They are not only harmless, but make great detritavores eating all sorts of leftover foods and other things that would normally just decay in your tank. I do not believe they can poison anything in the tank, but I have had fish try to eat them and go nuts after biting them as they must taste very bad. I have also collected them and they are very sticky. They usually live under rocks and their skin secretes a slime that sticks the rocks to the body making a tube like feather dusters, but out of small rocks. I fed mine small sized prepared foods like cyclopeeze and crushed pellets and flake, you can watch them eat, the long feeding tentacles they send will grab the food. The color of the native ones here in FL is very pretty, the tenticles (which are the only part you normally see) are a bright baby blue.
Tennyson
Active member
I think the description depends on the species. My description is from the one on this page
http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/productDetail.asp?did=2&pid=1098&cid=297.
Anyway, I'm not sure anymore :lol: go with was philter4 says.
http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/productDetail.asp?did=2&pid=1098&cid=297.
Anyway, I'm not sure anymore :lol: go with was philter4 says.
philter4
New member
The thing in the picture isn't a medusa worm, that is the problem with common names. The photo and description shows a type of cucumber that I'm not familiar with. The true medusa worm is a segmented worm, more related to feather dusters then cucumbers, so care and maintenence depends on what you actually have.
