mandarin had bristle worm in mouth - will he be ok?

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Hi all,

So i had the shock of my life, when i saw my male mandarin with a bristle worm in his mouth!!! he was next to a rock, but frozen, like he was hunting a copipod, then it dawned on me, that his "wings" arent moving and he look like he was paralyzed.

when i noticed the bristle worm - about 3mm fat and about 2cm long - i intervened. it was curled up and looked like it was stuck to the mandarin's mouth. when i moved it away, the mandarin didnt move any fins, just moved with the water like a dead fish would, still with the bristle worm attached, but thankfully he swam away after the worm had detached.

i've been watching him and he seems a lot more subdued.

is he going to die? do you guys think he got stung? has anyone else had a fish encounter a bristle worm?

at the moment, he's moving around, but no where near as active as he usually is.

i hope he'll be ok, just gottta watch him. but if anyone has any info, pls let me know.

many thanks

B
 
They don't have venom, but their "glass" like bristles might have irritated his throat and gills, he might be fine. Not sure. My scribbled angel always eats bristle worms in my tank, but he is huge. That bristle was very big for the mandarin. Give it some time. I think he might be fine.
 
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