I've seen them in tanks...not mine. I know a local reefer who kept one the same way people keep mantis shrimp.

Other than in their own tank, I would never keep one...because this happens...

 

Oh I know... But that's what so amazing about them. I can't think of anything less them a big predator fish to amount up to them. Yet for as a reputation as they got, I hardly know anyone who has had one... or kept one.

For curiosity sake, how do people keep Mantis Shrimp?

 

In a tank all by themselves.

 

Ah.. For a moment I thought you were going to say that people just put them in the Refugium. I heard some people do that with small, super aggressive specimens.

So what are the changes of actually coming across one of them?

 

Oh, I know many people do put them in the fuge. But I was talking about actually keeping them as a pet and treating them like a very special creature.

 

Well wouldn't most? You get this very unique, beast of a worm who can be such a fun watch. I know a lot of freshwater keepers who keep things like Piranha, Arapaima, Tigerfish(so want...) Red-Tail Catfish and so forth just because they are giant predators.

 

In terms of size, this worm is on par with those fish. The average size is over 3' with reported max size being around 9'.
I'm not sure how long it takes to get that big, but quite a worm!
It is rather interesting to look at too.

 

Indeed. however I read on Wikipedia they can get 10 feet long, too. If I read right. . .

 

How big of a tank, and how deep of a sand bed, does a 3' worm need?

 

I honestly don't know. I can't find any notes on how to keep them anywhere. I assume at that size it must need about... Maybe five inches?

 

5 inches for starters. But keep in mind that garden eels do best in 9 inches. This worm seems to have a similar habitat.

 

Interesting. I imagine one worm wold need... I guess nine inches would be good. Given that is probably enough to make half the aquarium unusable due to so much sand. At least that would be a lot of surface for beneficial bacteria.

 

With just one thing in the tank the bioload will be low.

 

Sounds almost perfect if you don't wanna bother around with big water changes on a weekly basis........... But what fun is that? AM I RIGHT!? Part of the reason I started a saltwater is that I can interact with it a tad more then my 90-gallon freshwater. Yeah I gotta deal with my Jack Dempsys, but ever since two paired up beat the other to death, there isnt much to manage other then a feeding.

back to the bobbit worm...

Does anyone actually look for and sell them?

 

Sure. We have a local fish store here that gets them in from time to time. Some places can special order them. You just have to look around.

 

I wonder if Gerber's can get them in. Not that I want one... Actually, I do want one. But if I do, I gotta give up my ideals for a reef tank with fish, shrimp and coral... cause all that would be a big smorgasbord for one a Bobbit.

 

It wouldn't take much to keep one. No protein skimmer, a simple HOB filter would work.

 

That's true. Makes me wish I could start a second aquarium just for one.