spaghetti worms = detrimental?

[Kigs]

Call me paranoid, but I swear that they are stressing out my zoas to death.

Obviously I cannot *prove* it, but within the last few moths, I've had a burst of spaghetti worm population.

They would always wrap their "tentacles" in/out/around the zoa polyps and I believe this would irritate them constantly to close up.

After this, couple of weeks later, usually the zoanthids come down with fungus infections, and I would find TON of these guys just gathered around those infected polyps. The next day, the infected polyp is usually gone.

Am I being biased here? Are they known to irritate softies?

Are there any ways to actively control them? via invert/fish?

TYIA, Any help would be apprecieated.

 

[Tayler]

cut down on your feeding and there population should go down a bit.

 

[.::Jun77::.]

i agree, zoa hates them! (but not as much as i hate them hehe)

i tried to manually take them out using a screwdriver, i failed. i think instead of killing it, i made them spit.

i tried to suction it, same, failure, coz their body is almost always hidden.

one time im so ****ed i took one rock with 2-3 spag. worms and microwaved them, pops like a popcorn :blown:

im thinking of keeping a 6 line, im not sure if it will work.

ill keep an eye on this tread.

 

[JamesBryan]

Microwave would be the prefered and most satisfying method.

You might also try boiling water in that microwave, putting in syringe that has a needle. Work needle into rock where suspected worm body is 'most' (good luck on that by the way) likely to be drilled in and pump the water slowly. You can add say one drop of household 3% hydrogen peroxide to say a 3ml syringe of hot water. The 3% solution is quickly turned into H2O as one oxygen molecule is released upon contact with any form of gram negative bacteria, the stuff that is everywhere. Hydrogen Peroxide kills the flesh and is neutralized. I'm bold, so I would just pump straight 3% into his hole. It is added to freshwater aquariums to reduce micro algal blooms at a rate of 1 tsp per gallon. It can temporarily set a bacterial population back if too much is added **** I WOULDN'T GET IT DIRECTLY ON ANY CORALS, IT WILL BLEACH THEM****

**DISCLAIMER** Just because I am a bold, sadistic worm killer does not mean anyone should try this at home. I have been using 3% and up to 10% for many years in freshwater tanks regularly. That doesn't mean you can. ***END DSCLAIMER***

 

[shabreeson]

will a arrow crab work?

 

[TJ_Burton]

Crabs usually cause more problems then good. He may take care of the worms, but it can easily start picking on other things that you don't want it to.

 

[Kigs]

Not much progress has been made in search for the perfect reef safe predator for these worms.

I've been asking few of the experts and received similar suggestions; putting wrasses, butterflyfish or inverts to work. I'm thinking of adding a yellow coris wrasse but;

Correct me if I'm wrong; there are two kinds of yellow coris wrasses, no?

I'm looking at the pic of Halichoeres chrysus on liveaquaria, but I don't remember them having a rainbow striation near the chin area?
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1379+386&pcatid=386

My old one looked more like this guy in this youtube video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeUr76rzjWI
Also here, bottom in this reefkeeping article
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/nftt/index.php

Can someone clarify?