OK freaked out by Live Rock

cyclops

cyclops

Member
Well Last night I decide to get a flash light and look in my tank then i notice things coming out of the rock that looked similar to Brittle legs but All of my Brittle stars (4) where in the corner wher they are always. My tank has been up and running for 5 months now and I have 125lbs of live rock.
It really freaked me out cause I could not see what it was and it was in a a lot of the rocks. Does any one have a clue what this could be and where I can get info on it?
This morning when the lights where on they where not there

all help is appreciated
 
cyclops

cyclops

Member
Originally Posted by rcdude1990
possibly pods (a good thing)
Thanks rcdude
i thought about that too but I thought pods where small and lookes like larva ants these things lookes as if they livedin the rock and stuck out there tenticles to try to get somthing to eat and the tenticle where long. I do want to get a manderine but I was going to wait until my tank was 8 months.
 
cyclops

cyclops

Member
Originally Posted by n2theblue
Or bristle worms. Do a search and look at some pictures. You'll be able to identify what you have.
cool thanks i am on it.
 
rslinger

rslinger

Member
No bristal worms are good until they hit half foot long then they might eat coral. But I would leave them in until they do as they are a great clean up crew.
 
G

gdavies

Guest
No they don't, they'll eat the pods but not the bristle worms. What will eat them though is both the six line wrasse and arrow crabs (however the six line is a much better choice). But you have to keep an eye out for the "big ones" because it’s hard to find a fish that will eat large worms. so you should try and remove them with tweezers or something similar, because if you're not able to remove the larger ones then down the road they could be a problem, both for you and for the fish/coral. I hope this helps...
 
cyclops

cyclops

Member
Originally Posted by gdavies
No they don't, they'll eat the pods but not the bristle worms. What will eat them though is both the six line wrasse and arrow crabs (however the six line is a much better choice). But you have to keep an eye out for the "big ones" because it’s hard to find a fish that will eat large worms. so you should try and remove them with tweezers or something similar, because if you're not able to remove the larger ones then down the road they could be a problem, both for you and for the fish/coral. I hope this helps...
Yeah this does help. But I only see them at night so i will try to get Six Line thanks
 
1journeyman

1journeyman

Active Member
I don't think big Bristle worms are problematic either. I just moved my 210 and found several, one was over a foot long. They've never caused any problems.
 
cunningham

cunningham

Member
they make bristle worm traps that work good! my buddie bought one and he has caught several. i have a 6 line and he is one mean little monster
so be careful on buying one or dont buy just because you think it might eat bristle worm ,my 6 line kills my shrimp and chases new fish tilll they try and jump out! if i could get him out i would! just my 2 cents
 
1journeyman

1journeyman

Active Member
Here's a thought for you before you trap your worms; what are they surviving on?
Too often excessive worm populations are a sign of excess feeding.
A small, healthy population of worms nocturnally feed on detritus. What happens to the detritus when you remove the worms???
 
texasmetal

texasmetal

Active Member
If it looked like brittle star legs, it possibly could be just that. I've found small brittle stars climbing around in my tank that I did not put in there, at least not without knowing. The largest ones disc was about the size of a peanut, legs outstretched about 2 inches. I was hoping they would all get large, but I haven't seen them since I moved the contents of my 30 into my 75.
I've never seen a bristleworm that was dull brown or black or green like a brittle star. They are always hot-pink and purple in my experience.
 
cyclops

cyclops

Member
I really couldn't see what they where because it was dark and I was useing a flash light on them but I do not think they are bristle stars. tonight I am going to use my NVG's to see if I can get a better look at them. If they don't hurt anything then I will keep them.
 
cyclops

cyclops

Member
Originally Posted by 1journeyman
Here's a thought for you before you trap your worms; what are they surviving on?
Too often excessive worm populations are a sign of excess feeding.
A small, healthy population of worms nocturnally feed on detritus. What happens to the detritus when you remove the worms???
1journeyman
You might be right I was gone (deployed) for almost 3 months and I think my wife may have overfed cause my nitrates levels are high, I am doing large water changes every 5 days and changing the filter pads. So should I leave them or get rid of them.
Thanks
 
nigerbang

nigerbang

Active Member
Originally Posted by TexasMetal
If it looked like brittle star legs, it possibly could be just that. I've found small brittle stars climbing around in my tank that I did not put in there, at least not without knowing. The largest ones disc was about the size of a peanut, legs outstretched about 2 inches. I was hoping they would all get large, but I haven't seen them since I moved the contents of my 30 into my 75.
I've never seen a bristleworm that was dull brown or black or green like a brittle star. They are always hot-pink and purple in my experience.
agreed..I have atleast 3 that I have in my 29gal that was in the rock...I hit them with a flashlight and they go back and hide in the rock..
 
fish-man-t

fish-man-t

Member
Originally Posted by 1journeyman
Here's a thought for you before you trap your worms; what are they surviving on?
Too often excessive worm populations are a sign of excess feeding.
A small, healthy population of worms nocturnally feed on detritus. What happens to the detritus when you remove the worms???

100 % agree
 
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