Zoa eating culprit?

[Karen00]

Lol. I think you’re right. If this keeps going I’ll have to consider an all-nighter, and not the good type!

Ya, doing a nighttime stakeout of scary aquatic worms is not my idea of fun! Haha.

 

[DED65]

How big is the rock that is being moved? I thought it was my Matted Filefish having a feast at first, but there was no way he was moving a 5"-6" meat coral. After I baited the bottle trap with sardines and placed it in the area, I found my problem coming out in five minutes. How big is the Conch? Could he be dragging the rocks around while searching the sandbed? I also noticed a coral skeleton in the snail shell pile, was this eaten? I think the only way to find out what you have moving stuff around is to actually get a visual of it when it happens.

The kids will know you love them, just make sure the insurance policy is paid in full!

 

[CMMorgan]

It was the chalk goby in the dining room with a candlestick....

Truly, I have no idea but this is fascinating. Like crop circles but underwater.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Here is how to find out. Take a turkey baster and blow gently on zoas. Will clean them and attract the culprit.
Take your cell phone and set it on video mode and walk away (Must walk away). Record for an hour and come back and review video. You should find the culprit.

 

[sfin52]

I'm now following the suspense is killing me.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I'm now following the suspense is killing me.

Right. I put money on the conch lol.

 

[Reverend Turtle]

Ok, other possibilities. Octopus, rarely happens, but they are naughty geniuses. Mantis shrimp, but you probably wouldn't have any fish left. Or a decorator crab. Those are some other hitchhikers that will play with your mind.

 

[DED65]

Right. I put money on the conch lol.

When looking at possible evil, it's good to give a little hope !

 

[CMMorgan]

Here is how to find out. Take a turkey baster and blow gently on zoas. Will clean them and attract the culprit.
Take your cell phone and set it on video mode and walk away (Must walk away). Record for an hour and come back and review video. You should find the culprit.

That's how I found that bristleworm earlier today! I was blowing on the frags with a pipette. I had just fed phytoplankton and wanted to blow off a little diatom dust. Then ... 30 minutes later, I see that little pink thing making a get away. Just can't do worms. Nope.

 

[Dolphin2409]

Ok, I’ve seen it!!!

It’s past midnight here in Ireland so the lights are off (in the tank rather than in the whole country) so I switched off all other downstairs lights and used a red light to take a quick look

Yep, within 5 minutes IT poked its head out of one of the ‘ceiling’ rocks. BOBBIT WORM

I’ve put the house up for sale and am considering my next moves. I’m not sticking my hand in there unless there’s a rope tied around my waist!

Any suggestions? The rock he peaked out of has two btas, some plating monti etc on it so don’t really want to have to nuke it. Could I fresh water dip it without killing the corals?

I’m going to take a lie-down.


It’s past midnight here in Ireland so the lights are off (in the tank rather than in the whole country) so I switched off all other downstairs lights and used a red light to take a look

Yep, within 5 minutes IT took a look out of one of the ‘ceiling’ rocks.

 

[CMMorgan]

I may not sleep tonight .....

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Ok, I’ve seen it!!!

It’s past midnight here in Ireland so the lights are off (in the tank rather than in the whole country) so I switched off all other downstairs lights and used a red light to take a quick look

Yep, within 5 minutes IT poked its head out of one of the ‘ceiling’ rocks. BOBBIT WORM

I’ve put the house up for sale and am considering my next moves. I’m not sticking my hand in there unless there’s a rope tied around my waist!

Any suggestions? The rock he peaked out of has two btas, some plating monti etc on it so don’t really want to have to nuke it. Could I fresh water dip it without killing the corals?

I’m going to take a lie-down.


It’s past midnight here in Ireland so the lights are off (in the tank rather than in the whole country) so I switched off all other downstairs lights and used a red light to take a look

Yep, within 5 minutes IT took a look out of one of the ‘ceiling’ rocks.

Plastic bottle with the end cut off and turned around. Bait the trap and you will catch it.

google for some ideas and an understanding of making the trap.

 

[Klyle]

Very interesting. God speed.

 

[CMMorgan]

Googled it .... definitely gonna have nightmares

 

[DED65]

From my experience, bottle traps and pvc traps did not work. The worm doesn't come completely out of his home, gets the bait and just backs out of the traps. I watched for a week, recorded video and I was sure that I had the rock. I pulled that rock and another and another... I took everything out of the tank and he was down in the sandbed. I never saw him until I started taking out the sand. If he is in that rock, you can pull the rock and hold over water and see if he comes out. If you freshwater dip, you could kill the other corals. I saw that club soda, poured on the rock, may get him out too. For me, the thought of getting him was worse than the actual job. I wore thick pvc gloves while I was doing it to protect myself, but he never lunged at me and he was quite passive.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ok, I’ve seen it!!!

It’s past midnight here in Ireland so the lights are off (in the tank rather than in the whole country) so I switched off all other downstairs lights and used a red light to take a quick look

Yep, within 5 minutes IT poked its head out of one of the ‘ceiling’ rocks. BOBBIT WORM

I’ve put the house up for sale and am considering my next moves. I’m not sticking my hand in there unless there’s a rope tied around my waist!

Any suggestions? The rock he peaked out of has two btas, some plating monti etc on it so don’t really want to have to nuke it. Could I fresh water dip it without killing the corals?

I’m going to take a lie-down.


It’s past midnight here in Ireland so the lights are off (in the tank rather than in the whole country) so I switched off all other downstairs lights and used a red light to take a look

Yep, within 5 minutes IT took a look out of one of the ‘ceiling’ rocks.

Trap it with shrimp as bait:

 

[DeniseAndy]

So many lately. Scary!!!

 

[((FORDTECH))]

My money was on Eunice worm cause this exact thing happen to me and was a very large and hungry Eunice worm

 

[DED65]

My money was on Eunice worm cause this exact thing happen to me and was a very large and hungry Eunice worm

That’s what caught my attention too, almost exactly the same symptom! How did you get it out?

 

[((FORDTECH))]

That’s what caught my attention too, almost exactly the same symptom! How did you get it out?

I got lucky after removing all corals from around him he had nothing else to eat. He ate thousands in corals before I realized what was going on cause this was a basement frag tank that I did not look in a lot. Eventually walked down to basement one day and he was out searching around and was completely out so I scooped him up with large net. Was about 3 ft long thicker then my thumb