Predetor or scavanger - ID needed pls.

[kamil5000]

Hi,

I plucked these out of the aquarium, they were feeding on a dying snail (I saw about six more in the display).

In the last couple of month I have found a lot of dead snails (about 30 total) and was wondering if this was because of these worms (fire worms ? or regular bristtlewroms ?).

At the same time, the snail death occured after I trimmed a sacraphyton (leather) coral - which are supposed to emit very strong poisons.

So I am tying to figure out whether these guys are responsible for the snails deaths, or are they just preforming a clean up service - after the fact.

tks.

 

[LeslieH]

Clean up service. These appear to be Eurythoe which eats detritus & scavenges the dead & dying.

 

[kamil5000]

Tks Leslie,

I've spotted another 4 or 5 of them in the 75 gallon. Would these be enough for a clean-up service or should I add these back?

Kamil

 

[LeslieH]

Some of the other members with reef experience can answer that better than me. As a general rule with cryptofauna (= hidden animals) if you see 4 or 5 there are a lot more that you don't see.

 

[kamil5000]

Tks again,

I guess i probably have more that enough in the tank as it is.

What's the quickest/mos humane way to dispose unwanted Eurythoes?

 

[LeslieH]

:blown: :hammer: :fun2: :uzi: :fish1:

Most people around here seem to favor freezing them

 

[kamil5000]

Great. Tks for the info.

Bye Bye Worms :sad1:

 

[Javeo]

Oooh so pretty! send them to me!

 

[Sk8r]

Bristleworms in general are beneficial to the tank. There are a few problem species. Most are good.

 

[Sk8r]

Bristleworms in general are beneficial to the tank. There are a few problem species. Most are good.

 

[romunov]

There's no reason to dispose of them.

FWIW, I often see them scraping glass/rock for what appears to be diatom films.

 

[kamil5000]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7401766#post7401766 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Javeo
Oooh so pretty! send them to me!

I think they would die on the journey accross the world.

 

[Javeo]

I know, I was being my usual stupid self