Bristleworm "attacking" sleeping wrasse? (1 Viewer)

[alexrex20]

My wrasse has had some minor wounds/scratches on his side for the past few weeks. It doesn't seem to bother the fish. It's like a pale discoloration, though today the wound seems larger and the skin (or whatever you call it on a fish) more abraded. Again, the fish is otherwise healthy and couldn't be bothered by it.

While spying on my tank under red light the other night, I noticed a large bristleworm in the cave that my wrasse sleeps in every night. (It's a mystery wrasse, so it sleeps in a cave and does not burrow in the sand.) By large I mean it's probably 2-3in long and maybe 1/4in across. It's the biggest I've seen in my tank, and I've viewed it in the cave or in the vicinity for the past several nights.

I'm not against bristleworms, but I wonder if this may be the cause of the skin irritation on my wrasse? Maybe the bristleworm is feeling up on the wrasse while it sleeps?

I've tried bottle traps in the past, and only ever catch my cleanup crew and blennies. My only other option is to remove the rock and tweeze it out. Is it worth the trouble?

 

[DogHair]

I don't have much experience with Bristle Worms other than have them try and take some food away from a sick Anenome. I have seen products on line specifically for catching Bristle Worms that look more like fly traps. I am not sure what your using but you might look around. Speaking of an Anenome could the Wrasse have gotten around one in your tank?

 

[BigRick]

I see abrasions like that on my 2 leopard wrasse. They do sleep in the sand. I think it's from hitting corals and rock though. I wouldn't think a bristle would cause that though. I'd think they would defend themselves.

 

[RR-MAN]

What color is the bristleworm?

 

[alexrex20]

Just like this one:

 

[NarnyTheGreat]

Brittle worms can cause problems in my experience.

Could you see the whole thing or was part of it still in the rock?

If you only saw part of it, its possible that its MUCH LARGER. And when I say larger I mean I have seen them up to 18 inches or more! I know that when my octopuses start to brood the will sometimes kill all of the bristle worms they can find so I wouldnt say its nothing to worry about... I would try to move the worm if you can so you can at least see how big it is.

Hope this helps.

Heres a story about them...

http://scienceblogs.com/zooillogix/2009/03/barry_the_coral_ripper.php

A video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t23eylcc-WE

Watch all the way to the end... this thing is CRAZY big not as big as the monster one from before but this is something very likely in your tank.

One last video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euiJZKUY0tQ&feature=related

 

[alexrex20]

I only saw part of it at a time, but I did watch it move through the rock. My best guess is it's only a couple inches. Thanks for the links.

 

[mwilliams62]

That is why I hate bristle worms and I am always worried about my fish when they are sleeping. If I could I would get rid of every single one. Even though they are a part of the clean up crew.

 

[rxonco]

A bristle worm is not going to harm your fish. That is, unless it's sick, and can't move. Wrasses are very active swimmers moving in and out of rocks. That's more likely where the abrasions came from. That or another fish like a tang, or from an anemone.