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View Full Version : Bristleworm Friend or Foe ?


PattersM
12/30/2008, 10:52 AM
Working with the live rock in my two month old 55 gallon tank last night and saw a "large" worm.

Four hours later I have what looks like a 3 inch bristleworm in a plastic bag in the tank.

Do I keep it ?

From the Marine Invertebrates book I have from Ronald L. Shimek it looks like a Eurythoe (Aquarium fireworm) but I have no experience with these things.

Don't yet have any coral or fish in the tank so it must have come in with the live rock.

jenglish
12/30/2008, 11:06 AM
(in my best Frankenstein's monster voice)
bristleworm good.... fireworm bad!!!!

greenbean36191
12/30/2008, 01:19 PM
No. Most fireworms are good. Bearded fireworms (Hermodice carunculata) are bad.

Eurythoe is your common bristleworm. Put it back, it's harmless.

pizazmitaz
12/30/2008, 01:36 PM
pics?

Brandon M
12/30/2008, 01:40 PM
If it is a bristleworm, I would put it back in the tank.

reefworm
12/30/2008, 02:47 PM
Listen to Greenbean. wish I'd known how helpful they were when first starting out. Wasted a little $$ and LOTS of time trying to trap them out. [ and don't even HINT to Leslie that you considered offing it:D]. I've had lots for years - they clean where others don't. Love them.

Henryreef
12/30/2008, 03:58 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14043604#post14043604 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefworm
Listen to Greenbean. wish I'd known how helpful they were when first starting out. Wasted a little $$ and LOTS of time trying to trap them out. [ and don't even HINT to Leslie that you considered offing it:D]. I've had lots for years - they clean where others don't. Love them.

+1 A great part of the Clean up crew

PattersM
12/30/2008, 08:01 PM
I've just posted a picture of the worm in my gallery.

Hope this helps with the ID

reefworm
12/30/2008, 08:10 PM
yes, that's the one we see most commonly in our tanks. Good Guy:D

saltwaterjames
12/30/2008, 08:14 PM
I agree with the majority bristleworms are a great help to the cleanup crew.

46FiatYamaha
12/30/2008, 08:25 PM
Friend :beer:

coralcrazy2
12/30/2008, 09:45 PM
Yea I have alot of BW.Years ago someone told me they were bad and I spent alot of time getting them out .
But now I know better, they are my friend.

Skerp
12/30/2008, 10:59 PM
Hey i was just wondering of someone can post a pic, im curious because when my 55 gal busted i was throwing out the sand at the bottom and there were at least 50 of some type of worm. some were big as 5" long. . I looked for "bristleworm" on the internet but thats not the kind of worm i had. I guess i could check fireworm now too. :)

greenbean36191
12/31/2008, 07:26 AM
See the worm in PattersM's gallery. It's Eurythoe the most common bristleworm/ fireworm in the hobby.

Indymann99
12/31/2008, 08:09 AM
I have 2 of these guys (that I regularly see - Im sure there are more small ones) in the DT and 1 in the fuge.

http://s300.photobucket.com/albums/nn10/Indymann99/?action=view&current=2008-08-19025507Bristlewormshortvid.flv

So far I consider them good... minus the sting I recieved when putting the LR in the tank (sting was minor and just iched for a few days).

PattersM
12/31/2008, 10:37 AM
Hey Greenbeen it may be common but when you only have rock, sand, snails and coralline algae in the tank it looked pretty exotic to me.

Still at least now that I know what it is I won't be afraid to put my hands back in the tank !!!

reefworm
12/31/2008, 01:17 PM
you should be. wear gloves. the bristleworms may be good guys but those bristles can give you quite a sting, and then there is the possibility of allergic reactions. and the worms are only the beginning. all kinds of nasties in your tank can cause reactions, infections, etc. there was a recent post that had pictures of the results of some of these. awful. wear gloves

chromiumlux
12/31/2008, 01:29 PM
Leave it until you catch it dining on your prized corals. I have several that seem to only be concerned with whats on the rock and in the sand.

reefworm
12/31/2008, 01:59 PM
when "dining" on prize corals, it's a matter of the worms detecting die-off and cleaning out dead/dying tissue. the worm in question will not go after live, healthy tissue. the worms get blamed for coral death by association. worm on coral; coral dies, therefore, worm caused coral death. that's why circumstantial evidence in court is not enough to convict, or, at least, it's not supposed to be enough.