predator of bobbit worms?

M

ml708

New member
I would like to know if there are any known predators of bobbit worms. I noticed one in my tank a few days ago and it was huge. Couldn't catch it out before it retreated back into some live rock at lightning speed.
 
Light your tank on fire and shoot a gun into the flames! Joking aside those things really creep me out! I've never heard of a predator for them unfortunately.
 
I hate them! Killed a few young ones a few months back when I managed to catch them with nets. Seems that those I missed grew 10x the size. And no I'm not joking, they really grow that fast.
 
You people need to stop starting Bobbit worm threads.......I'm starting to get paranoid every time I look in my tank and a fish is hiding :P
 
My current tank is 2 years and still getting ripe. No new fish , mostly just live rock. 2 days ago I saw "ASTONISHED" some kinda huge centipede like body come up from under a rock and grab a plant and pulled it into the rock opening. I think I sat there for 2 minutes thinking WAH....Never a clue...never seen before. I am almost certain it could easily be 3 feet long under the sand. I am thinking of slowly getting rid of sand. I have a sifter , but it wont be long I suppose before he will be eaten by this hidden monster. He was beautiful fluorescent green and yellow and blue like rings...then I did some reading. *^$((*&^)^
 
Why aren't they taking over the reefs in nature then, with their sheer size, appetite and lack of predation
 
ml708 said:
Why aren't they taking over the reefs in nature then, with their sheer size, appetite and lack of predation
Click to expand...
There probably are predators in the wild. Whether the predator would be an acceptable alternative to the worm is another issue.
 
Lorena Bobbit quip made me laugh. :)

I would think a natural predator of these might be groupers, triggers and other large predator fish. Nothing reef safe though.
 
Back to the question:

I think, and these are my thoughts, that their predator would be a fish that eats invertebrates, as in not reef safe. Bilk listed some possible candidates, I would add the large angels and wrasses that pick at the rocks for invertebrates as they should be able to grab a worm.

But who will be the one to put a non reef safe fish in their aquarium to see if they will eat the bobbit worm.
 
behlke said:
Back to the question:

I think, and these are my thoughts, that their predator would be a fish that eats invertebrates, as in not reef safe. Bilk listed some possible candidates, I would add the large angels and wrasses that pick at the rocks for invertebrates as they should be able to grab a worm.

But who will be the one to put a non reef safe fish in their aquarium to see if they will eat the bobbit worm.
Click to expand...

drop a couple of bobbit worms in a fowlr and see who snaps!
 
Well, as a diver, I have seen Eunice aphroditois take a flying guanard that I was photographing. The guanard was going across the sand, I was swimming with it taking shots and suddenly it just disappeared. (This was in St. Vincent). These can get rather large. I doubt that there are any fish that would predate on them, in fact quite the opposite.
 
Honestly I doubt it could mess with a large one. Only part exposed are giant pinchers which would make short work of a mantis IMO. Unless it was exposed out of its burrow I dont think its a fair fight
 
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