What the heck is THIS?

junbug1970

junbug1970

Member
I got this hairy worm like in my tank living in my LR. Can anyone tell me what this is? Is it harmful? I added this 2 LR yesterday from a well established tank, and i last night and today i saw both of them. One with reddish body and they other you see in the picture is greyish. I never saw it before til last night and i put the rock in yesterday afternoon. So far doesnt seem to bother anything but going in from hole to hole in the rocks. This worm is about 1 1/2 inch long.
Pardon the picture is on the blurry side. I was trying to take a close up picture.
thanks
Junus
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Definately a Bristle Worm. I'd consider it innocent unless you see it taking nips from a coral. 99% sure it's a detrivore.
 
junbug1970

junbug1970

Member
so, is it good to have? does it serve any purposes? should i better off getting rid of it? if so, how? Any crab or shrimp i can buy to get rid of it?
likes kinda gorry and ugly.
 
perchpsk

perchpsk

Member
I'm like you, I hate the look of them. I caught a 12" one in my tank and put it in my refugium. They are beneficial because they are detrivores and eat decay and help maintain a healthy aquarium. I see small ones in the main tank from time to time but only remove them when they get large. do a search and you can find many ways to trap them.
 
michaeltx

michaeltx

Moderator
I would leave it in that one actually looks small in comparison to some that I have seen. there are very few that are actually a threat in our tanks. they are real good at cleaning things up. and trust me there are bigger ones in there that you just havent seen yet. or they dont have to come out very far or on the backside of the tank so they are out of your view.
just dont touch em and youll be alright. LOL
Mike
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator

Originally posted by junbug1970
so, is it good to have? does it serve any purposes? should i better off getting rid of it?
I can't imagine any animal better suited to keeping your tank healthy than Bristle worms.
 
rickster

rickster

Member
nice bristle worm. There are traps to catchem if you want. The main reason for these traps is these worms can consume an anemone overnight.
R
 
rickster

rickster

Member
Bristle worms that come in with live rock can grow to enormous size (up to 12") and IF they attack your anemonaes then traps are available.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
There are species that eat Leather Corals, Gorgonians, Even able to catch fish. I don't know of any species that can eat an Anemone. Doesn't mean they don't exist, they're just not documented that I know of.
 
rickster

rickster

Member
you should buy the previously related and referenced Sprung book...(you know)...why do you attack all that I plagarize? geez
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
LOL. I'm not trying to attack what you say. It's just that saying large Bristle Worms will eat your anemone overnight is a bit misleading.
I believe they could if:
1 - The Anemone died
and
2 - There were several hundred large, starving Bristle worms in the tank
Very very few of these animals are predators.
 
rickster

rickster

Member
OK, I respect your reply. excellent.
P358 from "The Reef Aquarium: vol2"
"...bristleworms that come in with live rock may grow to enormous size before they are detected and can severely injure or completely consume an anemone overnight."
Now I have only been keeping salt tanks for about 15 years and I by no means claim to know all that there is to know about marine life...but I learned to scuba so that I can control my fear of water and I also learned about a hugely diverse, somewhat alien, life. And I personally believe keeping marine tanks is heavenly...
I have never in 15 years had a bristle worm consume one of my anemones, but then again...I don't let em grow too big.
Im an

[hr]
, I promise.
sorrrrrrry.
R
 
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