Florida live rock hitchhiker ID.

[Coffee Soundboard]

I just received a shipment of Florida live rock. I found a few strange worms. They are quarantined for now. The large blackish one actually lights up under LEDs. It’s also quite large, maybe around 2-3 inches. Any ideas?

 

[Troylee]

Tan are peanut worms.. not sure on the big fuzzy guy

 

[Coffee Soundboard]

I thought possibly peanut as well.

 

[JoJosReef]

Black guy is a Eunice worm. How did you manage to get it out? They are usually in very tight in the rocks? Di ld it break apart? They can grow new heads.

There is an isopod in there, but can't tell if cirolanid (very very bad) or spheromatid (actually pretty good) without seeing its eyes. You can also fish it out and put it on a paper towel and see if it curls up like a roly poly--if so, most likely spheromatid.

Peanut worm on bottom right. Middle pink giy, not sure in the pic.

 

[MrPiGuy]

black bobbit oops! and peanut worm

 

[JoJosReef]

black bobbit and peanut worm

My understanding is Eunice != Bobbit. Loads of Eunice species and most seem to be detritivores and opportunistic predators, not the nightmarish ambush predators from the Indo-Pacific. Still, they can get huge, and huge opportunistic predators in a small tank (any tank) can become a problem.

NOT a keeper.

 

[Coffee Soundboard]

Black guy is a Eunice worm. How did you manage to get it out? They are usually in very tight in the rocks? Di ld it break apart? They can grow new heads.

There is an isopod in there, but can't tell if cirolanid (very very bad) or spheromatid (actually pretty good) without seeing its eyes. You can also fish it out and put it on a paper towel and see if it curls up like a roly poly--if so, most likely spheromatid.

Peanut worm on bottom right. Middle pink giy, not sure in the pic.

The pod is a bad isopod, he got trashed. The large worm was just hanging out in the bottom of the bag the rock came in. Thanks for the info! That’s kind of what I was thinking they may all have been.

 

[JoJosReef]

The pod is a bad isopod, he got trashed. The large worm was just hanging out in the bottom of the bag the rock came in. Thanks for the info! That’s kind of what I was thinking they may all have been.

Keep an eye out for more of the eunice worms. I use a red flashlight at night to see the monsters come out. Not sure how you'd get them out anyways though without breaking the rock apart. You can also check your fish at night for isopods stuck to them or use the stinky water trap method. Or...

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Yeah, the black Eunicid worm there (the non-bobbit) would be a great sump monster (provided it couldn't get back into the DT from the sump). If you don't want it, I'd seriously check around to see if anyone does - these specific Eunicids are rare and pretty, but I can't find any info on what the scientific name might be.

Here are the other threads I've been able to find with these:

Worm ID KP Aquatics live rock

Any ideas? This guy was in the bottom of the box of a recent order of live rock form KP Aquatics. It's about 2 - 2.5 inches long. Also as you can see it's dark in color with a white or light colored line right behind the head. Any help appreciated. Thanks.

www.reef2reef.com

CAUGHT A BOBBIT WORM!!

I know these things are most reefers' worst nightmare, and although my ID is Shark Fighter I am FAR more terrified of these things than any shark, but I have seen a few crazy souls that were actually interested in having one as a pet. So here goes: discovered this little guy stealing food away fr...

www.nano-reef.com

 

[Coffee Soundboard]

This rock will be going into a mantis shrimp tank that isn’t fully built. I may end up putting some small fast fish in though! Those isopods will starve with no fish to host on after a week or so?

 

[JoJosReef]

This rock will be going into a mantis shrimp tank that isn’t fully built. I may end up putting some small fast fish in though! Those isopods will starve with no fish to host on after a week or so?

anecodtal reports of them being quite resilient in absence of fish. Most success I've read about were people catching them at night with turkey basters until the population dwindled--I was initially super worried until I found out mine were spheromatids.

 

[Coffee Soundboard]

anecodtal reports of them being quite resilient in absence of fish. Most success I've read about were people catching them at night with turkey basters until the population dwindled--I was initially super worried until I found out mine were spheromatids.

I’m guessing where there was one, there’s bound to be more. Before I put anything in the tank I’ll have to set some traps and see what crazy stuff I can catch. I did find a dead tiny mantis in the bottom of the bag. I wished he had lived.

 

[Coffee Soundboard]

Yeah, the black Eunicid worm there (the non-bobbit) would be a great sump monster (provided it couldn't get back into the DT from the sump). If you don't want it, I'd seriously check around to see if anyone does - these specific Eunicids are rare and pretty, but I can't find any info on what the scientific name might be.

Here are the other threads I've been able to find with these:

Worm ID KP Aquatics live rock

Any ideas? This guy was in the bottom of the box of a recent order of live rock form KP Aquatics. It's about 2 - 2.5 inches long. Also as you can see it's dark in color with a white or light colored line right behind the head. Any help appreciated. Thanks.

www.reef2reef.com

CAUGHT A BOBBIT WORM!!

I know these things are most reefers' worst nightmare, and although my ID is Shark Fighter I am FAR more terrified of these things than any shark, but I have seen a few crazy souls that were actually interested in having one as a pet. So here goes: discovered this little guy stealing food away fr...

www.nano-reef.com

The worm I have looks almost identical as those guys. Mine is actually kind of pretty under LEDS. I just moved his cup under one for a second.

 

[Bucs20fan]

The worm I have looks almost identical as those guys. Mine is actually kind of pretty under LEDS. I just moved his cup under one for a second.

I have no doubt someone would take that Eunice from you and probably pay for shipping, the non bobbit types are hard to find and even harder completely intact like that one is.

 

[Coffee Soundboard]

I have no doubt someone would take that Eunice from you and probably pay for shipping, the non bobbit types are hard to find and even harder completely intact like that one is.

I’m holding on to it for now. If anyone wants it, I’ll gladly send it on its merry way!

 

[IKD]

I had the exact same white banded Eunice worm from my KP Aquatics and he took a liking to eating acroporas. We easy to find him as there was a pile of empty snail shells under his lair. I would recommend not leaving him in your tank.

 

[kjkszpj9]

Yeah that big guy is definetly an eunice worm (bobbit worm) they are scavengers but could also be predatory, i got 2 brown redish in my 13.5g tank, heres what 1 of mine looks like

 

[kjkszpj9]

heres the worm being creepy and a little derpy

 

[taricha]

The large blackish one actually lights up under LEDs. It’s also quite large, maybe around 2-3 inches.

Please get us a pic of that. Would love to see it.

 

[Coffee Soundboard]

The worm is gone. I won’t be able to get a picture, but it’s legs or feelers or whatever those things are along both sides lit up a cool purple color under my Kessils.