New guy

[wgolembiewski]

I just bought a house and inherited a 45 gallon fish tank. (Picture in my avatar) I noticed a white worm like guy in my coral a few days / weeks after taking it over. At first I just noticed it in one spot and now I have seen it in a few spots. I don't know if it's something new and harmful due to my inexperience or something that has always been there and isn't harmful.
Any advice would be much appreciated.
See attached picture.
Thanks,
Bill

 

[snakeblitz33]

looks like a harmless polychaete. A bristle worm... about 99.8% of all known bristle worms are harmless detrivores. if you have seen one, you probably have dozens you don't know about. it's good to have them because they will eat the excess food that tyou feed and keep your live rocks clean inside. they will also eat dead fish or inverts, which can prevent your tank from crashing.

keep reading some guides, read a couple of good books. otherwise... sell it all off and run for the hills. it's an addicting hobby, but it certainly isn't friendly on the pocketbook.

 

[saxman]

Here's a pictorial Hitchhiker ID guide thatmay help in the future...just match your critter to a phot, and get an ID and some additional info:

http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhiker/hitchhiker.shtml

And Seth is right...if you aren't careful, the hobby can become an obsession.

 

[wgolembiewski]

Awesome. Thanks guys.

 

[flower]

I just want to welcome you to the site...