Worms inside Live Rocks

[oceanviper]

Hi guys.

I have bought a live rock from Reborn few weeks back and today I noticed this black color (kind a like caterpillar few thorns around the bodys) inside one of the holes.

I can't managed to grab a photo of this worm...

Do you guys happened to come across this thing inside the live rock?

Should I leave it there or find ways to get rid of it?

I know is difficult to comment but I tried to take a photo of it if saw it comes out from the cave hole....

Thanks.

[albinosage]

Bristle worm... Another image

Bristleworms range in size from small (about 1" long) up to very large at about 20" in length. Most small ones are an orange color, sometime appearing two-tone in color. Larger bristleworms are frequently gray or brownish in color. Bristleworms are composed of many segments and have bristles (setae) which extend from both sides of its body along its entire length, hence their common name. These setae are clearly visible in the picture above. Bristle worms live in the sand or within the live rock. They are nocturnal and not usually seen during the day.

Recently, most hobbyists have come to the conclusion that small bristle worms pose no threat to other tank inhabitants and are in fact good scavengers and add to the biodiversity of the tank.

Source: Reef Corner

Bobbit worm

Eunice aphroditois, the Bobbit worm, is an aquatic predatory polychaete worm dwelling at the ocean floor at depths of approximately 10–40 m.

This organism buries its long body into an ocean bed composed of gravel, mud or corals, where it waits patiently for outside stimulus to reach one of its five antennae.

Armed with sharp teeth, it is known to attack with such speeds that its prey is sometimes sliced in half. Although the worm hunts for food, it is omnivorous.

Source: Wikipedia

In short: leave it alone if you don't mind the bristle worm, but remove it immediately if it is a bobbit worm!

[oceanviper]

Bristle worm... Another image

Bristleworms range in size from small (about 1" long) up to very large at about 20" in length. Most small ones are an orange color, sometime appearing two-tone in color. Larger bristleworms are frequently gray or brownish in color. Bristleworms are composed of many segments and have bristles (setae) which extend from both sides of its body along its entire length, hence their common name. These setae are clearly visible in the picture above. Bristle worms live in the sand or within the live rock. They are nocturnal and not usually seen during the day.

Recently, most hobbyists have come to the conclusion that small bristle worms pose no threat to other tank inhabitants and are in fact good scavengers and add to the biodiversity of the tank.

Source: Reef Corner

Bobbit worm

Eunice aphroditois, the Bobbit worm, is an aquatic predatory polychaete worm dwelling at the ocean floor at depths of approximately 10�€“40 m.

This organism buries its long body into an ocean bed composed of gravel, mud or corals, where it waits patiently for outside stimulus to reach one of its five antennae.

Armed with sharp teeth, it is known to attack with such speeds that its prey is sometimes sliced in half. Although the worm hunts for food, it is omnivorous.

Source: Wikipedia

In short: leave it alone if you don't mind the bristle worm, but remove it immediately if it is a bobbit worm!

Hi Bro....

Thanks for the comments and advice.

After seeing the picture link....i think is more like bristleworm...just that is black in color....

Now i can't see it anymore because it went back to the cave in the live rock....

Nevertheless....I still try to take a photos just to confirm....

[albinosage]

The bobbit worm's distinctive features are the tentacles/feelers at the mouth, and the "rainbow" oil slick appearance as seen in the picture. It is also super fast and sensitive, it's almost as if it knows you are looking at it. If you are able to see it for more than a few seconds, then it's probably not it haha.

If it is a bristle worm, you can ignore it as it will aerate your sand bed and come out at night to eat leftover food. Personally I remove all worms cos of an irrational fear/phobia. Worms are disgusting lah

[oceanviper]

The bobbit worm's distinctive features are the tentacles/feelers at the mouth, and the "rainbow" oil slick appearance as seen in the picture. It is also super fast and sensitive, it's almost as if it knows you are looking at it. If you are able to see it for more than a few seconds, then it's probably not it haha.

If it is a bristle worm, you can ignore it as it will aerate your sand bed and come out at night to eat leftover food. Personally I remove all worms cos of an irrational fear/phobia. Worms are disgusting lah

I was using my LED torch to shine and look at it....which why i can confirm the color is black.....

Anyway I did observed couple of time in the night with all light off to see any scavenger....

But so far i can see my hairy crabs out for supper and no sight of worms until just a while ago.....

To be frank....I also want to discard this nuisance....but hard to know when is coming out.....

Just hope i would get the chance to catch it before damages done (if this things is hazardous).....

[cdckjn]

If you really want to get rid of the worm, then do a fresh water soak of about 15 min - all the things will come out.

[oceanviper]

If you really want to get rid of the worm, then do a fresh water soak of about 15 min - all the things will come out.

Thanks for the suggestion....

Too bad can't be done cause the rocks are all stack and glue with some corals....

If do that.....even my corals also gone....

Now trying to lure the thing out .. with some meat....see if it attracted to it or not....

thanks.

[jackywongto]

If you really want to get rid of the worm, then do a fresh water soak of about 15 min - all the things will come out.

Actually no need to fresh water soak... massive die offs will occur on the rock.

Just leave it out in the open air. Occasionally sprinkle some saltwater on the rock.

The worm/ crab will come crawling out.

[oceanviper]

Actually no need to fresh water soak... massive die offs will occur on the rock.

Just leave it out in the open air. Occasionally sprinkle some saltwater on the rock.

The worm/ crab will come crawling out.

The rocks was out of the water from the shop to home for more than 1 hrs....but suprise this thing still survive,,,,

[Eniram]

The rocks was out of the water from the shop to home for more than 1 hrs....but suprise this thing still survive,,,,

You might want to leave out in the open for more than an hour......

[mopiko]

You might want to leave out in the open for more than an hour......

i hypo my tank and all the worms came out from the rocks and crawling dead....

[Eniram]

i hypo my tank and all the worms came out from the rocks and crawling dead....

Yea i know.......see the different sizes that that crawled out can make you shiver! Some are really long and thick!

[jackywongto]

Yea i know.......see the different sizes that that crawled out can make you shiver! Some are really long and thick!

yeah very grossed. some cut into two already but still can move....

[oceanviper]

yeah very grossed. some cut into two already but still can move....

Hi bros....

Still no luck in getting rid of it.....

Not willing to come out and i can't take the rock out.....

Afraid that this movement cause my shrimps to die with changes in water parameters....

I'm not willing to take the risk....it takes me some time to get the shrimp living happily here.....

Thanks.

[comycus]

i hypo my tank and all the worms came out from the rocks and crawling dead....

wow if I cycle a new tank and hypo the LR, would tt mean tt I get an ammonia spike + kill off hitchhikers

kill 2 birds with 1 stone?

[RockyBoy]

Worms are ok.

Try to hypo or freshwater treat the new rocks.

Crabs, pistol shrimps might create some problems in future.

[oceanviper]

Worms are ok.

Try to hypo or freshwater treat the new rocks.

Crabs, pistol shrimps might create some problems in future.

Hi guys....

Just saw my this worm consuming my leftover true frogspawn.....

Already decided to FW this piece of LR....

[RockyBoy]

Hi guys....

Just saw my this worm consuming my leftover true frogspawn.....

Already decided to FW this piece of LR....

They won't eat the frogspwn unless the LPS is dying. So they are like cleanup crew.

[oceanviper]

They won't eat the frogspwn unless the LPS is dying. So they are like cleanup crew.

Hmm....

Then I would need to monitor for longer period before jump to the conclusion.

Thanks bro....

[RockyBoy]

Pls monitor your LPS first. Make sure the water parameter is orite.

I have thousands of worms in my tank without any problem. If you overfeed your fish, the worms population will be more.

If you use medication to kill all the worms, be prepared to loose your corals and fishes too and the trouble to change the water as the worms die.

[oceanviper]

Pls monitor your LPS first. Make sure the water parameter is orite.

I have thousands of worms in my tank without any problem. If you overfeed your fish, the worms population will be more.

If you use medication to kill all the worms, be prepared to loose your corals and fishes too and the trouble to change the water as the worms die.

Hi bro...

Noted....

[oceanviper]

Hi bro...

Noted....

Hi there....

After going through some checking.....

Found out that the worm inside my tank is BobBit worm and not bristle.

Worm gurus.....

Any suggestion on how to lure this thing out?

At the moment...can only think of rinse the LR with the tap water.....or soak it inside the tap water for 15~30 mins...

Any other suggestion?

Please advice.

[oceanviper]

Hi there....

After going through some checking.....

Found out that the worm inside my tank is BobBit worm and not bristle.

Worm gurus.....

Any suggestion on how to lure this thing out?

At the moment...can only think of rinse the LR with the tap water.....or soak it inside the tap water for 15~30 mins...

Any other suggestion?

Please advice.

Hi guys....

Just to updates you guys....

I have managed to get the worm out.....

Too bad....

Need to sacrifice my LR in the tap water....