HELP!! URGENT!! Worms taking over tank!

M

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Jan 21, 2004
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I have a huge number of worms in my tank. They float around in the water sometimes writhing about, and other times they move w/ their many centipide like legs. I've noticed they are gathering on my mag-float. I have had 3 chromis come up missing in the past few weeks, and I think I know why now. I've never seen them out like this in the day tonight was the first time I've seen them in mass. There are easily 200 that I can see. I have a pic, but can't get my webserver to work. They are white/opaque, to brownish on the back end. They have many many legs like a centipide. 4 or so antenna, and the width is about 1-2mm and the length from 1-3cm long. Most are about 1.5cm. I'm going to look, but I would really appreciate some help while I'm searching. Also if someone could host these pics then that may help.



1. What are they?

2. What eats them or what can I do to balance them?

Thanks, I'm so freaking out right now.
Matt
 
very similar to the polychaete worms, but more slender. More white opaque too. They are ****ing swarming. I'm pretty sure they are nocturnal, because I didn't see any when I feed my fish, and then 2 hours later I see these dudes in force.
 
The description, especially the antennae, sounds like some kind of nereid or eunicid polychaete worm. Many species are predatory, but would prey on things smaller than themselves, so I don't think they killed your fish. They also scavenge, so they may have helped get rid of the bodies.

I would venture to say all marine tanks have some polychaetes, but the population is limited by excess food. One often sees large populations in tanks that are overfed or have messy eaters.

To post your photos, go to www.aquaticphotos.com. One of the members set it up for just this kind of thing.
 
Crappy camera = crappy pics

worms2.JPG


worms1.JPG


Sorry if the pics are bad, but its the best I can do for now.

I agree that they probably wouldn't kill a healty fish, and thats why I didn't worry about seeing them before this outbreak. So I guess the question: Is there anything that will eat these things?

Because there isn't going to be alot for them to eat now, and if they all die at once that would suck. I guess if some die the others will eat them, and they will just slowly go back to normal levels. I guess I need to get a brittle star to handle some of the clean up duty.

Matt
 
Have you added any live rock or live sand lately? They almost look like the reproductive stages of worms, called epitokes. Usually come out in the first weeks or months after adding live rock. Could be things are going so well for them, they decided to reproduce. If that's the case, many fish and corals chow on them, but I don't know whether they contain any toxins that may affect fish.
 
I have only had chromis, I had 3 origionally then I added 3 more and they have been systematically killed off from the tank. I have a feeling that is the reason the worms have multiplied, but I've not really seen anythink like them on the net. I haven't added any live rock in over a year.

What is a good hardy wras that won't mess w/ the chromis I have?

Thanks for the responses
Matt
 
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