Royal Gramma nailed by Bristle Worm?!

My Royal Gramma a few weeks back had these little "quills" or clear/white barbs sticking out of its gills/eye socket one day. There were probably 20 or so of them and they were concentrated to a small area. No other fish were recently added, no other corals or anything else was added to the tank for 2 months. The fish never showed any other symptoms of being ill. It ate fine, normal gill movement, normal slime coating, everything good, except these protrusions.

The only thing I could think of that it could have been was a bristle worm. Its like my royal gramma accidentally knocked its head into the worm and the worm's bristle's released into the it.

Within three days all of the bristles were gone and the fish continues to thrive, not missing a beat.

What do you guys think? Has this ever happened to any of you before?

Thanks for your help!!!

 

It likely tried to eat the worm and then found out why polychaetes have those defensive bristles. He probably won't try that again.;D