Not sure what to do with this worm.

[windails]

This morning I was looking at my tank and I noticed this worm crawling out of a piece of aquacultured live rock. Should I get it out? I'm about 5 weeks in almost done cycle and I have added a reef package of hermit crabs, emerald crabs clams peppermint shrimp and brittle starfish. Should I search for it and get it out?

 

[bang guy]

It looks like a beneficial detrivore to me.

 

[innerdragon103]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy http:///t/396464/not-sure-what-to-do-with-this-worm#post_3532538
It looks like a beneficial detrivore to me.
BG, is that a bristle worm? Are bristle worms necessarily bad? Sorry, not trying to thread jack

 

[zoidberg01]

Bristles will eat uneaten food and dead fish but I haven't seem them kill

 

[bang guy]

Quote:
Originally Posted by InnerDragon103 http:///t/396464/not-sure-what-to-do-with-this-worm#post_3537435
BG, is that a bristle worm? Are bristle worms necessarily bad? Sorry, not trying to thread jack
Yes, that's a Bristle Worm. The vast majority of Bristle Worms are beneficial in some way. Only a handful of species are harmful. The bad ones do show up from time to time but they are a vast minority.

 

[silverado61]

Correct me if I'm wrong but is that gravel in your tank? Don't clams and brittle stars need sand because they dig?

Also, You added that type of reef package to a tank that's almost finished it's cycle?

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by silverado61 http:///t/396464/not-sure-what-to-do-with-this-worm#post_3537449
Correct me if I'm wrong but is that gravel in your tank? Don't clams and brittle stars need sand because they dig?

Also, You added that type of reef package to a tank that's almost finished it's cycle?


Hi, Welcome to the site.

It does look too clean for a full CUC...but the cycle must be done since the critter is out looking for food, it seems healthy enough. Never touch or grab a bristle worm with your fingers, they sting. You might try putting an algae sheet in the tank for the CUC to feed on, or they will starve.

I don't know if you have crushed coral and that's just a close up picture, or if it's gravel...in a picture it's hard to tell. Crushed coral will be hard to keep clean, as opposed to using sand, but gravel is not acceptable for a SW tanks substrate...Something to do with keeping the PH stable, the crushed coral and sand will put stuff back into the system, but gravel won't.