trapping 10" bristleworm?`

[Charlie97L]

hey, i have a HUGE bristleworm in my tank. now i've got no problems with the smaller ones, but this one got mixed up with my ruby fairy wrasse and he almost lost his eye.

i've tried a 20oz soda bottle on it's side with shrimp in it, but that didn't work. any suggestions for traps that have worked? i don't want to have to break the tank down to get him out, but it's getting to that point.

could i use tongs and grab it? i did a search, and although found a lot of info, couldn't find much on how you make the traps.

thanks!
charlie

 

[dc]

If you could actually grab it with tongs it might work. The clamping kind would give you a better grip. I've never been successful in catching them myself. I know I've seen where you put the bait in a nylon and they get caught up in it and can't get out. I'd think you would need to not feed the tank a couple days so it was hungry first. I tried capping off some pvc pipe and drilling a bunch of holes in it. Baiting it first of course. The idea here was that they'd stay in there because it was dark. I left in in a couple days, caught some small ones, never the big one tho. Taking out the rock where you see it is the only other thing I can think of. I've done that for crabs.
Good luck.

 

[Charlie97L]

yeah, of couse it's under teh big huge center bottom piece of my rockwork! thanks for the suggestions. i worry if i tong it, i might break it, and that's no good. i'll not feed for a few days and try the nylon.

 

[Diatome]

Roll up a piece of shrimp in a pair of panty hose/stockings. doesn't have to be much just part of a pair but roll it up loosely and tie it in a tube shape and put it in the tank. He will get caught up in the panty hose and you just have to pull it out and toss. It does work.

 

[Charlie97L]

ok so just put the shrimp in the stocking? do you leave one end open, so it trys to crawl in?

 

[need2no]

I use a LG pair of tweezers or my BBQ tongs. Dont feed your tank for a few days. Then put some food close by where the worm is & it will come out for it the grad it. It works fine for me just dont pull real hard or you will pull it apart just keep presure on it slowly as you pull. I have lots of big one & this is how I do it all the time.

Dont bump the rock or sand becouse if you do they will be gone in a flash. Good Luck with the hunt.

 

[spoonerville]

OR if all fails, you can find out which rock it's hiding in, grab that rock out of the tank, give it a freshwater dip and the worm will come out very easily...i cought a 2 foot bristle worm like this yesterday...

 

[dc]

So what happens if you break them apart? Wouldn't the bottom half die and get eaten?

 

[spoonerville]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8079578#post8079578 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dc
So what happens if you break them apart? Wouldn't the bottom half die and get eaten?

yea, most likely..but once i accidently broke one into two pieces...but it was alive for quite awhile...(out of water)..especially the half with the mouth..