lightening fast bristleworm

[errand]

I don't have a picture yet I'm sorry it is too fast - there is a big bristleworm living in my bicolor blenny's hole I think. Its just a bit different to the other bristleworms in the tank, they are slow and flattish and more pink. This guy stuck his head out of the hole, and when i bent closer to look he whipped his whole body back and disappeared. He came out again after a few seconds - he has a different head, with whiskers on it like a tubeworm I guess? and moves like lightening you wouldn't believe it.

 

It was about the same size as my other bristleworms, so about as thick as spaghetti. I"m a bit nervous I've been looking and looking and the creature won't come out again. 

 

I'll try and take a picture. 

 

the problem is, my peppermint shrimp have disappeared - one I found being dragged by my tiny hermit crab in the same spot in the rocks as where blenny and this guy live. i blamed the hermit crab, but was wondering how she could have beaten the shrimp as the crab is very slow. 

 

Does anyone know of a fast bristleworm that likes holes and might kill shrimp?

[WV Reefer]

10 minutes ago, errand said:

I don't have a picture yet I'm sorry it is too fast - there is a big bristleworm living in my bicolor blenny's hole I think. Its just a bit different to the other bristleworms in the tank, they are slow and flattish and more pink. This guy stuck his head out of the hole, and when i bent closer to look he whipped his whole body back and disappeared. He came out again after a few seconds - he has a different head, with whiskers on it like a tubeworm I guess? and moves like lightening you wouldn't believe it.

 

It was about the same size as my other bristleworms, so about as thick as spaghetti. I"m a bit nervous I've been looking and looking and the creature won't come out again. 

 

I'll try and take a picture. 

 

the problem is, my peppermint shrimp have disappeared - one I found being dragged by my tiny hermit crab in the same spot in the rocks as where blenny and this guy live. i blamed the hermit crab, but was wondering how she could have beaten the shrimp as the crab is very slow. 

 

Does anyone know of a fast bristleworm that likes holes and might kill shrimp?

Did it look like this?

 

[errand]

Hey yes it looked exactly like that!! a proper head with little whiskers! 

 

What is that guy???

[WV Reefer]

Just now, errand said:

Hey yes it looked exactly like that!! a proper head with little whiskers! 

 

What is that guy???

Eunice worm. They are very cool hitchhikers but can be problematic. I have an entire thread on mine before he died. 
 

 

[Garf]

It could be a eunice worm, does it look anything like the pic WV Reefer posted? It can and will eat things much larger than it. If you get the chance, observe it without disturbing it, and see if you can see it extend it's jaws.  Totally amazing thing to see. I had one in my tank, hitchhiker from a piece of live rock. Only way to rid it was to remove the live rock, and attempt to get it to hide in one section you can break apart. 

 

 

[errand]

Yes it looks exactly like that. It seems to be living in one chunk of live rock that also has a ton of holes and about 5 or 6 large brittle stars too. I will watch for it and see if i can get another picture, I'll try and dump some mysis outside its hole and take a video!!

But do you think it killed the peppermints??? i want those shrimp in the tank, they ate every single one of my aiptasia and I havent' seen a hint of aiptasia for months now. They were my partner's favorite thing, with their weird little side to side dance. 

 

Perhaps I move this rock with the eunice worm to my other tank, there aren't any fish or shrimp in that one. .

 

 

[WV Reefer]

1 minute ago, errand said:

Yes it looks exactly like that. It seems to be living in one chunk of live rock that also has a ton of holes and about 5 or 6 large brittle stars too. I will watch for it and see if i can get another picture, I'll try and dump some mysis outside its hole and take a video!!

But do you think it killed the peppermints??? i want those shrimp in the tank, they ate every single one of my aiptasia and I havent' seen a hint of aiptasia for months now. They were my partner's favorite thing, with their weird little side to side dance. 

 

Perhaps I move this rock with the eunice worm to my other tank, there aren't any fish or shrimp in that one. .

 

 

I doubt it killed the shrimp unless it is huge. Mine mostly liked to redecorate the tank. 🤷🏻‍♀️