bristleworm with antennas?

[kyla bidwell]

Hello R2R! Ive searched the internet for months and cant seem to id this worm in my tank! I dont think its hurting anything. But nonetheless, i dont want something in my tank that I have no clue what it is. It looks almost identical to a bristle worm. Its at least 4 inches long. (Ive seen it extend 4 inches from a rock and there's no telling how many inches went unseen). It comes out at feeding time. But I cant get a pic. Ive been trying for months. If i even move my finger to tap the button to take the pic, it goes back into hiding. So the best i could do was be REALLY still and get a really good look at it. I havent ever seen a bristleworm with antennas. It has 2 antennas that are long. Probably an inch and a half long to 2 inches. Im not good at estimates though. But they are definitely noticeable! And the antennas come out WAY before the worm does. I do have a few feather dusters in the same area. And they are the hard tube kind. If that makes any difference. And the worm has always lived in the same rock. The rock has some radioactive dragon zoanthids on it. Sometimes they dont open. But for the most part they seem ok. What the heck is this worm!?!?!?!?

It should be noted that I am creeped out by worms as it is. I haven't touched a rock without gloves on since i saw my first bristle worm in my tank. I keep them because i like the biodiversity. BUT I don't like not knowing what this is! Hopefully one day ill be able to snap a pic james bond style. But until then, my memory is all we have to rely on

Thanks for looking and have a blessed day!

 

[kimba]

I'm not sure what it is, but I was at the LFS the other day and I noticed 2 antennas comming out of the sand. They were everywhere. When I asked what it was the girl told me she usually does fresh water and didn't have a clue.

I too, would be interested to know what they are.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I'm no expert, but the only worm that sort of looks like a bristle and has antennae (but not 1 1/2 to 2 inches long) is a bobbit worm. They bury themselves in sand and extend to capture prey. If it is a bobbit, get it OUT!

Google Bobbit worm to see if that's what you have.

 

[TheEngineer]

Bobbit sounds right to me too. They kinda look bristley, have long antenna and then are crazy fast.

 

[trio91]

just curious, what would be the safest way to remove a bobbit worm?

 

[TheEngineer]

Easiest is to take out the piece of rock it is living in.

 

[kyla bidwell]

Well i Googled bobbit worm and it looks way different. Its dark, has no fuzzies like bristle worms, and its a thicker worm. My worm the orange pink color of a bristle worm. My worm is not as thick as the bobbit. Is it possible to have a pink fuzzy skinny bobbit worm? :-\

 

[Cleo642]

just curious, what would be the safest way to remove a bobbit worm?

 

[kyla bidwell]

I FINALLY found a picture of my worm! This is not my actually worm, but it is exactly what it looks like. Someone posted a picture of it on a fourm asking for an Id. A few people said it was a bristle worm, but several people said its NOT a bristle worm, and that bristle worms dont have antennas. This is identical to my worm. PLEASE help!

 

[kyla bidwell]

Heres a close up

 

[redfishbluefish]

I'm sticking with a variety of Bobbit worm where the mandibles are not as large or visible.

Have any fish gone missing?

Regardless of the ID, I'd pull that sucker out! Did I mention that I don't like Bristle worms...and so I don't like this guy either! :mad:

 

[Cleo642]

 

[trio91]

where do you get these pix from? lol

 

[Cleo642]

where do you get these pix from? lol

It was on Facebook.

 

[Naiad]

It is a eunice worm but not the dreaded bobbit worm. I would still remove as most eunice worms are preditors and will eat coral and inverts. A few are harmless but you are better safe removing these guys.

 

[kyla bidwell]

Ok cool. Thanks guys! I do have one more question. I took to rock out dipped it in freshwater and a worm did come off. It was the same pink color, but it didnt have antennas. I put it back in my tank because I didnt think it was the right worm. But then I got to thinking....are they able to retract their antennas? Maybe they only use their antennas to find food? or did I just get a bristle worm out of the rock, and still need to keep searching for the Eunice? I hope it didnt move rocks on me!