Is this a Mantis shrimp?

[JonoH]

One of my Lads saw this tonight (he was dropping pellets to the peppermint shrimp without me knowing), tank is a few years old, and never seen it before tonight!

Nothing has been added other than coral, which has always been dipped!

 

[PeterEde]

image?

 

[JonoH]

image?

Have a video, just having trouble getting it to upload!

 

[JonoH]

 

[twentyleagues]

I think that's a bobit worm. Or close relative. Needs to be out of the tank. I've watched the video a few times and I'm not positive, when it grabs the food it looks like those side appendages could be like the mantis shrimp arms but it's hard to tell. The head doesn't look mantis. Bobits have big "jaws" on the side of their head also. I know it would probably be hard to get a better pic or video especially in higher white light. I'm still saying bobit. Maybe try catching it in a bottle trap? I did this years ago with a mantis shrimp in my tank. I set up a 10g for him afterwards.

 

[JonoH]

That's a bobit worm. Or close relative. Needs to be out of the tank.

Any tips on catching it?

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

This looks like a fair place to start

Bobbit or Eunice Worm easy trap

This guy has been in my tank over a year and has behaved perfect, not like all the horror stories you read. He only eats algae and stuff on the sand. I have never lost a fish or any corals, hard or soft. The other day I noticed he was getting to big so I decided its time to go. I setup this trap...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[twentyleagues]

Glass bottle with an opening as small as possible just big enough for the creature to fit in comfortably. Put something yummy in it like a piece of shrimp or fish and put it near it's "den". Hopefully it crawls in you may have to do a stake out. I got lucky my little mantis couldn't find its way out or ended up liking the bottle I used enough to stay for a bit. Plastic could work also if weighted properly.

 

[JonoH]

I think that's a bobit worm. Or close relative. Needs to be out of the tank. I've watched the video a few times and I'm not positive, when it grabs the food it looks like those side appendages could be like the mantis shrimp arms but it's hard to tell. The head doesn't look mantis. Bobits have big "jaws" on the side of their head also. I know it would probably be hard to get a better pic or video especially in higher white light. I'm still saying bobit. Maybe try catching it in a bottle trap? I did this years ago with a mantis shrimp in my tank. I set up a 10g for him afterwards.

Have made up a janky bottle trap for now, see if it will go into it tonight.
I agree with you though, it looks like a bobbit, i cant see the usual beady eyes you get on a Mantis.

I did try lifting the rock to see if he was under it, but only some large bristleworms were there.
Unfortunately cant try freshwater dipping the whole rock, as it has a huge Green Nepthea attached, and a BTA on the other side.

 

[twentyleagues]

Have made up a janky bottle trap for now, see if it will go into it tonight.
I agree with you though, it looks like a bobbit, i cant see the usual beady eyes you get on a Mantis.

I did try lifting the rock to see if he was under it, but only some large bristleworms were there.
Unfortunately cant try freshwater dipping the whole rock, as it has a huge Green Nepthea attached, and a BTA on the other side.

the only issue with traps like this and worms is the worm doesn't usually fully leave its den and typically they can stretch quite far.

 

[IKD]

Definitely a Eunice worm and recommend removal. They are opportunistic predators and will eat inverts and munch corals. They can tuck into very small spaces. Also, check to make sure it isn’t burrowed into the sand underneath. If not there, and you can remove the rock, may be easiest to break the rock apart to remove it. Freshwater dips did not bother mine (nor did high salinity or pouring club soda into the holes). Best of luck but don’t leave it in there if you can help it.

 

[Snoopdog]

I have plenty of these, they never cause issues for me. I get plenty of entertainment watching them build their lairs. The majority of eunice worms we get in as hitchhikers are benign. People are so quick to kill every single hitchhikers and in the process you are just killing your diversity.

 

[IKD]

I have plenty of these, they never cause issues for me. I get plenty of entertainment watching them build their lairs. The majority of eunice worms we get in as hitchhikers are benign. People are so quick to kill every single hitchhikers and in the process you are just killing your diversity.

Maybe you’re right, but I am speaking from personal experience with loss of snails (one a night with empty shells around the lair) and corals (Garf Bonsai Acro next to his lair). Mine was a black Eunice with a white ring around the neck). It’s the OP’s call but I don’t take chances with Eunice worms. Plenty of other diversity to enjoy in my mind LOL.

 

[Aiptaisia anemone]

bobbit worm!! i saw one in the wild and its the creepiest thing i ever saw... but they do have cool metallic color. I can see centipede hobbyist buying one of these and prolly setting up a tank just for these guys.

 

[JonoH]

Janky trap night 1 didnt work, probably because it had already eaten i guess?

Will give it a shot again tonight - i can see him inside the rock at night, so the only way to get it out is either trap or break the rock apart (which i'd rather not do at this stage)

If i cant catch it - i am doing a tank upgrade/swap in the next month or so, so will break it apart then!

 

[littlefoxx]

I cant see the video, can you post it to YT??? Ive never seen someone with an actual bobbit worm before! They are creepy and like the spawn of satan from the pictures Ive seen!!!

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

I cant see the video, can you post it to YT??? Ive never seen someone with an actual bobbit worm before! They are creepy and like the spawn of satan from the pictures Ive seen!!!

You must like nightmares.

 

[littlefoxx]

You must like nightmares.

No not like just that morbid curiosity lol

 

[JonoH]

I cant see the video, can you post it to YT??? Ive never seen someone with an actual bobbit worm before! They are creepy and like the spawn of satan from the pictures Ive seen!!!

Bobbit Worm eating in home reef tank

My Son was sneakily feeding our peppermint shrimp Anenome pellets when he saw what he thought looked like a slug!I just managed to get our my phone in time t...

youtube.com

Here you go!
It is freaky, i reckon my kids have watched it like 50 times now!
If i was good at video editing, some sound effects could make this better

 

[Kmst80]

Bobbit Worm eating in home reef tank

My Son was sneakily feeding our peppermint shrimp Anenome pellets when he saw what he thought looked like a slug!I just managed to get our my phone in time t...

youtube.com

Here you go!
It is freaky, i reckon my kids have watched it like 50 times now!
If i was good at video editing, some sound effects could make this better

That's so cool. Until it eats your fish. I would watch it first before I remove it. I had a mantis shrimp in a mixed reef for 12 month and it did no damage. My hermit crab is more destructive. She eats snails all the time. I got a 20 cm bristleworm in my tank too.