What is this?

[nybyrne]

I bought some LR from the LFS and I noticed a orange catipiler looking thing come out of it. It is about 2 inches long and it looks like it is some kind of worm. Any ideas? Is it good or bad to have in the tank?

 

[nacl-h2o]

It's probably a bristle worm.
<a href="http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/img/faq_bristle.jpg" target="_blank">Bristle Worm</a>

 

[nybyrne]

That is it. Will it hurt the tank?

 

[denny hunter]

nah, most people on this site will tell you that bristle worms are good for a tank, as long as they dont multiply too much! they eat a lot of crap in the substrata....

 

[carrie1429]

Yes bristle worms are benificial to your tank. They eat uneaten food, fish waste, and any other kind of ditris. There have been a lot of different opinions ont his topic whether or not bristle worms eat coral but IMO they are a good thing to have. Just don't touch them, their bristles can sting. They are only a problem IMO when they get too big because sometines they will eat snails, but very rarely do they ever do that.