Quote:Aquarium staff have unearthed a 'giant sea' worm that was attacking coral reef and prize fish.

The 4ft long monster, named Barry, had launched a sustained attack on the reef in a display tank at Newquay's Blue Reef Aquarium over recent months.
Workers at the Cornwall-based attraction had been left scratching their heads as to why the coral had been left devastated and - in some cases - cut in half.

After staking out the display for several weeks, the last resort was to completely dismantle it, rock by rock.

Halfway through the process the predator was revealed as a four-foot polychaete worm.



Staff eventually lured it out with fish scraps, but not before it bit through 20lb fishing line.

The tropical worm is capable of inflicting permanent numbness on humans with its sting.
Matt Slater, the aquarium's curator, said: 'Something was guzzling our reef but we had no idea what, we also found an injured Tang Fish so we laid traps but they got ripped apart in the night.

'That worm must have obliterated the traps. The bait was full of hooks which he must have just digested.'

He added: 'It really does look like something out of a horror movie. It's over four feet long with these bizarre-looking jaws.

'We also discovered that he is covered with thousands of bristles which are capable of inflicting a sting resulting in permanent numbness.'
Mr Slater said Barry, who has now been relocated to his own tank, probably arrived as a juvenile in a delivery of living rock from another aquarium.

Quote:Commonly know as Bobbit Worm, the reason why he got this lovely name is due to the fact that the female worm attacks the male penis and feeds it to her young after mating...



The most common size for the worm is around 1 meter. But they have been reports of some specimens that where is the size range of 3 meters.

Quote:Commonly know as Bobbit Worm, the reason why he got this lovely name is due to the fact that the female worm attacks the male penis and feeds it to her young after mating...

Quote:Jessica Cross, 31.08.2007 00:51
I am unlucky enough to have a 3 ft Bobitt Worm in my 60 gal tank. While I can view after lights out under infrared, this thing moves like lightning. Does anyone have any idea of how I can get it out?

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chris, 10.10.2007 22:45
to Jessica,
To remove the worm from your tank.....
Considering the common and scientific name of the worm you could use an ex-boyfriend, boss, other misandrous male to entice the worm out of her hole with aformentioned appendage (as you know how guys and holes go together).

(04-03-2009, 08:00 PM)Grim Wrote: Fuck. Now I don't ever want to go coral diving.