Fire Worm? Good or Bad?

[skip]

I need some help here. I purchased a piece of LR with alot of mushrooms growing on it, and there's also a worm living in it. This worm is orange/red and about 5 inches long from what I can tell. (he only comes out at nite) I have been reading on here and I think it could be a bobbit worm although I don't really know what it is. Is there a difference between a fire worm and a bobbit worm?(I heard the people at the LFS talking about fire worms being very bad) Also I think I remember reading on here that some of the crabs will kill them. Should I get some crabs? Is this worm a good thing or bad? I can't seem to tell if he's messing with the mushrooms are not. I have a 55 gal. that's about a year and 1/2 old with several fish. No other corals except the mushrooms.

 

[bhav_88]

A fireworm is a type of bristleworm... One of the few that give them a bad name, in fact. I have never heard of a bobbit worm, though.... Thought the fireworm bit was worth mentioning.

 

[jcb101]

Actually the bad bristleworm isn't commonly found in aquarium, just your run of the mill bristles. I have a 8 inch or longer in my 55 gal and it does a good job of cleaning up. Hasn't hurt a fish, a crab, a snail, a coral or a mushroom, but sure is ugly. Dr. Ron on reef central swears by them and when I told him about mind he said I was lucky to have him. Good luck.

 

[nm reef]

I have enough bristle/fire worms in each of my systems to scare the wife and kids out of night time viewing!!!!! In my opinion they are a good source of diversity in our systems and rarely(if ever) pose a serious problem. Now some swear that they are murders and will attack and eat anything from corals to fish.....but mine have never caused any damage.....

 

[skip]

Thanks everybody. I guess I'll keep him for now and see what happens. I WOULD like to know if anyone remembers the thread about what eats bristleworms. Was it blue-legged hermits? I was thinking about ordering the clean up crew from this website.

 

[jcb101]

arrows crabs eat bristle worms, but they always destroy reefs.

 

[bhav_88]

Bicolor dottybacks eat them... of course, they're extremely nasy fish.
I had a scooter blenny that ate them too... Let me see... Six line wrasse... I heard that camel or pistol shrimp eat them too...