[Coral-List] Fireworm predators - porgies

[Steve LeGore]

   The first time I saw a fireworm was at the College of Fisheries, University
   of  Washington, where they had an aquarium tank full of them.  I said,
   "What's that?!" as I picked one up.  Needless to say, I found out.


   The goby in the video did not seem as aggresive in eating the fireworn as
   gobies normally seem when finding something edible.  It was almost like a
   person -- probably a Texan -- eating a very hot pepper.
   -----Original Message-----
   >From: Amber McCammon
   >Sent: Feb 2, 2010 12:10 PM
   >To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
   >Subject: [Coral-List] Fireworm predators - porgies
   >
   >
   > In reply to Andrew Ross's inquiry. I have been working with Hermodice
   > carunculata in the Caribbean and have witnessed a number of individuals of
   >  Porgy  fish  (species  not verified but I believe they were Calamus
   pennatula)
   > eating fireworms from my in situ experiments. I have had to modify my
   > experimental set up to keep the porgies from using my experimental
   > enclosures as feeding troughs.
   >
   > I brought a few smaller progies (ave. FL = 18cm) into the lab and these
   fish
   > tried to eat introduced fireworms but quickly spit them out. The fireworms
   > were fairly large, 10-15cm long and the porgies in the lab were
   >  approximately  1/2  the size of those seen feeding on equally sized
   fireworms
   > in the field. I have plans for investigating this line of inquiry in the
   > near future.
   >
   > Also, there are a couple of videos on you tube posted by home aquarium
   > owners, which show a goby and a crab eating fireworms in captivity.
   >
   >
   [1]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aObk9qHHeyk&feature=PlayList&p=A9137812A2E
   > 4E9D4&index=2 The species of crab is not stated and whether or not the
   worm
   > is alive while being eaten is unclear..but I think I can see bristling
   when
   > the crab pinches.
   >
   >
   [2]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AST_YVQtdzQ&feature=PlayList&p=A9137812A2E
   > 4E9D4&index=3This fish species is unfamiliar to meâ¦Pacific?
   >
   > Amber--
   >
   >References
   >
   > 1.
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aObk9qHHeyk&feature=PlayList&p=A9137812A2E4E9
   D4&index=2
   > 2.
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AST_YVQtdzQ&feature=PlayList&p=A9137812A2E4E9
   D4&index=3
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Steve LeGore, Ph.D.
LeGore Environmental Associates, Inc.
2804 Gulf Drive N.
Holmes Beach, Florida 34217 USA
Tel: 941/778-4650
Fax: 941/778-4761
Cell: 941/447-8010
GMT + 4 hrs