What is this?

Cherub

Hey you
M.A.S.C Club Member
#1
Ok so when I set up my cube I bought live rock from someone on craigslist. Turned out the rock was infested with bristle worms. I freaked out because I think they're nasty and one was even 8 inches long or more. I grabbed it with some kitchen tongs to pull it out. The thing grabbed hold with all its might and I ended up ripping out a big chunk of torso in an explosion of blood while the front and back were still holding to the rock. It was nasty >.>;; Anyway long story short I pulled out all the live rock and left it outside to bake in the sun for 2 weeks. I sifted the sand looking for worms until I was satisfied.

I bought new live rock and put that in with plans to recycle the old rock and use it too. Well I am the paranoid type and check my tank at night in case I see worms. Guess what I found... I am not sure what type of worm this is but I need to know please. This was walking on my glass and looks like a baby bristle to me. It's not even an inch long and that's the best I could do for pics with out waking my fishes.

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1

120greefman

Guest
#2
What is so wrong about bristle worms? If you have one, you probably have hundreds. They eat fish poop and help keep your tank clean. Another great solution to cleaner crews imo. If they bother you that much get a wrasse to keep them under control. Sorry I couldn't answer your question as to what type it is though.
 

Cherub

Hey you
M.A.S.C Club Member
#3
It's all good lol. yeah I understand the benefits to them but I wanted an aquarium for the beauty and awe. These worms are counter productive in that aspect. Plus they have been known to become aggressive as they get bigger and over multiply. I have snails and crabs for clean up, even a few small brittle stars. No thanks to those worms.
 
1

120greefman

Guest
#4
I hear ya, they can sting corals and kill them. Also eat your clean up crew if they get to big. It's definetly a balance.
 

Haddonisreef

Orca
M.A.S.C Club Member
#5
Get a piece of 1 in id pvc a few in long cap both end but first glue piece of shrimp inside of it and then drill a few sm holes in the PVC for the worms to get inside of the PVC, problem answered they wont be able to get out of the pvc. You then can get them out of the display and put in refugium.
 

chrislorentz

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#6
Best of luck to you not having them. Coral Banded shrimp munch on them.
 

Cake_Boss

Blue Whale
M.A.S.C Club Member
#7
That is a bristle worm in the pics. Are the worms roaming in the daytime? IMO, you'll never to able to get them all. They are really beneficial though. I have a 12" one in my sump, no clue how many in my DT but it's probably a lot. They don't come out in the daytime for me.

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KhensuRa

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#9
I haven't seen a bristle worm in my tank in forever. My sixline keeps everything in check, when it comes to food. maybe I should feed my fish more often...
 

Zooid

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#10
I like bristleworms. I've never seen them attack anything that was alive and healthy.
I used to raise Nassarius snails and a small bristleworm could swallow one of those tiny guys whole. BUT,
I never saw them eat one, I'd see daily wrestling matches between a baby Nassarius and a bristleworm.
The Nassarius invariably won the matches.
 

gh0st

Cleaner Shrimp
#11
Six Line Wrasse or something similar like a Psuedochromis if the other fish can hold their own. Otherwise Arrow Crabs make short work of them as well.
 

Cherub

Hey you
M.A.S.C Club Member
#12
I can try arrow crabs i suppose. I have 5 small fish and don't really want to add anymore since I only have 30 gallons
 
#13
Manual removal is going to be your only real option... the arrows might cause more harm than good.

Though I will say my strong (read VERY STRONG) recommendation is to leave em be. These little guys are an extremely valuable and vital part of your little ecosystem there. And bear in mind most of the accounts for them getting larger and causing problems most likely only stemmed from incidental examination from one or two people and then played the telephone game over the interweb. I have hundreds if not thousands of these guys in my broodstock systems and they have done nothing but keep my tanks clean and stable with my heavy feeding.
 

rmougey

Tang
M.A.S.C Club Member
#14
What ^^^^^ said!! I completely agree with thejrc.

There are many types of worms that end u in our tanks and most of them are great detrivores and can help keeping the sand/gravel churned. They are GOOD for our tanks.

Lot's of folks say bristle worm when they mean fireworm. Bristles don't grow up to be 12" long and as wide as your thumb.... fireworms on the other hand can get quite big and the jury is out on their safety in a tank. They probably are more of a bother to us than the tanks inverts.. particularly when we find those big boys by running our hands into them.

Leave them be... and rest easy.......
 

chrislorentz

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#16
You will see more however they will not hurt anything, I have proabbly thousands in a 34 gallon Salono
 

prolawn_care

Sting ray
M.A.S.C Club Member
#19
Juan had a nasty worm quite a few months back... Wasnt a bristle, but i know i wouldnt want it in my tank! I think it was black and red? At any rate i get what your saying, my wife hates the worms, but they are beneficial. If you happen to see any just pluck them out, and if you dont ever see them then i'd leave them be!
 
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