worms black & gray need ID HELP!!! I found out what it....

bigred

bigred

Member
I found some smooth worms at the base of my toadstool leathers while I was fragging them. The worms were gray and black banded. What are they? Good or bad?
 
marek

marek

Member
yep... when I pick my toadstool once it had about 10 small and large bristle worms eating it out. damned things, I removed as much as I could with tweezers but eventually with bristle worms the battle can't ever be fully won. they are highly prolific, very hardy, and ultimately once you see some and the tank has been up for many months, you can be sure there are hundreds of them everywhere. I see my everywhere; even during the photoperiods… they have infested my tanks.
 
marek

marek

Member
well, if there is at least enough detritus/crap in the substrate then perhaps they just live off of that and may not necessarily flock to your corals. they are good scavengers from what I read, so they like crap and food in the tank. but internet and LFS keepers tell me they are a nightmare for most of them as they like to bother a number of species of coral, and I think leather are highest on that list since they are so easy and soft to drive into.
my biggest problem in the beginning of this hobby around two years ago now were cyanobacteria and bristle worms. I've now learned to easily control cyanobactaria, but bristle worms I'm afraid there is still no really effective ways to control.
 
deuce_bigalo

deuce_bigalo

Member
I dont think they are bristle worms here are pics of bristle worms they are a brownish red
If they are bristle worms then the only reason they would eat something is if it was dead and they are reef safe
<a href="http://www.betta.org/splendens/Resources" target="_blank">http://www.betta.org/splendens/Resources</a>
 
marek

marek

Member
Deuce, I disagree. I think bristle worms are and aren't reef safe. I'm sure if I was to lift my toadstool right now out of the substrate, he would have ten or more bristle worms screwed halfway into his base. one has just recently found a spot in the live rock when she seems to be bothering my bubble-tip anemone, and the anemone is closing and opening irrationally ever since then. and not one of these creatures are dying! anyway, bristle worms suck in my book. and if I could do it all over again and could not introduce any I would certainly do so... oh and as far as the color goes, I HAVE SEEN BROWN bristle worms in my own tank, I think it depends on what they've been eating.
 
bigred

bigred

Member
The worms I saw were very skinny and black and gray banded. They don't look like what's in the picture. I noticed them when I was fragging my leather; they came out of the rock at the base of the leather. They look smooth.
 
deuce_bigalo

deuce_bigalo

Member
Do you have bristle worms that are grey and black banded?
That is what Bigred was trying to I.D
I have a bunch off bristle worms and they dont bother anything!!
Maybe a different type ?
 
bigred

bigred

Member
I don't know what they are but I noticed a hole in one of the stalk of the leather I seperated from the other leather. I didn't see them in the leather, just in the rock at the base. Will they eat them? Will the rock cut in half hallowed with bait in the middle work to catch them(saw that one in a search I did)?
 
deuce_bigalo

deuce_bigalo

Member
Bigred,
I don't know How you can get rid of the worms you have. or if you need too!!
Maybe somebody else can I.D this worm for you.
I just think that if it is smooth,grey and black its not a bristle worm.
Have you added any new rocks lately to bring new worms into your tank ?
 
bigred

bigred

Member
Just the rock that came with the twin leathers. It was a real ruff rock with holes all over. Looks like it could be a old coral skeleton from way back in time. Thats it. I bought a Clown rass today, lets see if that helps.
 
ren

ren

Member
I've seen a coule of worms like that in my tank. they live in the rock and run from the light! Don't know what they are but sure would like to know as well!
If they didn't run from the light so much i might be able to grab i pic
 
lordofthereef

lordofthereef

Member
HEY!! do these wormslook like they are turning inside out and kind of close up the same?? when they are fully opened, do they have like a little feathery thing at the end??? do they kind of stretch from one rock to another at times???
if so, you have nothing to worry about!! I can't remember the names of these boogers right now since i'm at work and got brain fog from this place!! i've had those worms for years in my tanks. they're kind of cool! they are scavengers, and eat any uneaten food, and detritus, and crap!
please!! keep an eye on them and let me know if i'm right
 
1

10k

Guest
The best bristleworm killer would be a Flavivertex Pseudocromis. Cool but mean fish. They are fun to watch because they will spend hours trying to get at one bristle worm untill they finally get to taste the fruits of their labor. :)
 
fshhub

fshhub

Active Member
i think that lord and tk2020 both sound alot like the description you gave, the pnut(whichh is what lords description resembles) has been brought up b4, and here is a post showing mor detail, an dcontianing a link to a site with some information that may help
<a href="https://www.saltwaterfish.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=12&t=008890" target="_blank">web page</a>
 
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