Creepy Crawiles

[sandy]

Hi All. Thanks so much for your responses. I could not be doing this without you! (In spite of the books I've read and the pesky questions I ask my LFS).
I have some creatures that I did not put in my tank (well, with the LR, probably...)
One is a worm like thing -- red, bristle like ... looks like a skinny serpent star arm... reaching out from under my rocks. ewwwww. Is this a safe creature to have in my tank?
Also: fleas? or whatever... teeny white things on the glass this morning. Some too small to describe.. others looking like teeny tiny ummmm millimeters? what? ummmm catepillers without the hair? The current swept most away. Am I being invaded? Is this normal? Will my clean-up crew get 'em?
Finally, I think my snails are breeding? I've got what looks like a baby snail (big enough to tell now) but sometimes they are just tiny little dots slithering like snails on the glass. Most don't make it... I think the percs like 'em.
Thanks. Sandy in Tucson

 

[sandy]

Any good links on aquarium pests?

 

[sandy]

Thanks Baron. Will you or (anyone) post a good link regarding Bristle worms. I have been sorting through the "search" and my browser "back" button does not seem to work well on this. It is real time consuming to find those posts.

 

[k.lee]

Originally posted by Baron VonKlyff:
<strong>All of these came in with your live rock. THe Bristle worm could be a problem but there are things that you can do to get rid of them. Look them up using a search here and you will find many posts on the subject.
The little white things and the stuff crawling on your glass are copepods and amphipods. These are good things in your tank. They help to eat the detritus and excess food in the tank. They are also a tasty, self replenishing food sources for your fish. </strong><hr></blockquote>
Yes, what he siad, but some times nice sponges are also whitish. Small usually. But sponges shouldn't move. There are also filter feedin worms with white calcaerous shells that are "good". A butterfly woul probably eat all the worms in a heartbeat tho.
HTH. Seems you are off on a good foot Sandy. Keep researching, reading, and doing the right stuff the way you are.

 

[sandy]

Thanks for the links. How about links that explain what they are and why they are considered to be pest that need to be trapped. No problem, just curious as to why they are a problem.

 

[k.lee]

I think, but am in no way sure that only certain bristles will attack live animals. I'm ouit to lunch on it. Recent articles suggest the majority of "bristleworms are good". There are bad ones, but rarer supposedly. Some worms get 5 feet long reportedly . . ..