What kind of predator would do this?

[Anonymous]

I added about 30 pounds of figi rock to a tank recently, and later added a pair of banggai. The rock was in the tank for about a week or so before the fish, and I never saw a critter of any kind in it.

About two days after I added the banggai, one was found encased in a mucous net, pulled in close to the rock, dead. I actually had to pull rather hard on his dead body to free him, and it looked like something had chewed his face off.

I am wondering what kind of animal that would be in figi rock would encase something in a mucous net like that. I don't think he just died, he was a tank raised little guy I bred myself and always seemed very hardy. The way he was pulled into the rock was very odd, I have a lot of current and would find it hard to believe a dead body would drift into the position I found him, and then there is the mucous net.

Bummer, he was part of the last pair I had.

 

[Anonymous]

Bristleworms in the Oenone family produce a toxic/numbing mucus net that kills fish, snails, shrimp, etc. Once dead the worm is then able to eat the animal.

 

[Anonymous]

8O

 

[Anonymous]

Wow, Laura...that's a little spooky!

Tracy, where did you get the pic of Bry?

 

[Anonymous]

I shall keep a lookout for a worm.

Now I have just one banggai in that tank, darn it. They were so cute.

 

[Anonymous]

Wow, Laura...that's a little spooky!

Tracy, where did you get the pic of Bry?

???

I was going to ask where she got a pic of you....

Are we twins or something?

 

[Anonymous]

:lol: