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View Full Version : keep or kill this bristle worm?


rschneid
04/08/2015, 11:14 AM
Ok I have my first bristle worm. I think I should probably just ignore him. He is in my refugium and I know the rock he lives in, so I could remove him, but the question is "should i remove him?"

Rich S.

hotelbravo
04/08/2015, 11:19 AM
I would keep him. I went to my. Lfs a few weeks ago and took all of their bristleworms to put in my tank. I would love any additional worm I can find. They are very beneficial. Just make sure it isnt a fire worm

Sk8r
04/08/2015, 11:19 AM
THat one---I ordinarily say harmless---but I think that may be hermodice carunculata, which is the first incidence of a fireworm I have EVER seen proven in a tank in some decades of reefing. On the other hand, in your sump, he's not going to get into your tank, and I'd be tempted to leave him to clean the rock: they're a beautiful species, and unusual in our tanks. Here's a pic of hermodice carunculata, for comparison: http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f269/Sk8r10/Hermodice_carunculata2.jpg

BrandonFlorida
04/08/2015, 11:20 AM
Hes pretty cool looking...

Peter Eichler
04/08/2015, 11:42 AM
THat one---I ordinarily say harmless---but I think that may be hermodice carunculata, which is the first incidence of a fireworm I have EVER seen proven in a tank in some decades of reefing. On the other hand, in your sump, he's not going to get into your tank, and I'd be tempted to leave him to clean the rock: they're a beautiful species, and unusual in our tanks. Here's a pic of hermodice carunculata, for comparison: http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f269/Sk8r10/Hermodice_carunculata2.jpg

Going to disagree here, looks like a common and harmless bristle worm to me. Unless you try to pet him...

rschneid
04/08/2015, 11:43 AM
Yes its all fascinating. I am still a newbie, tank is 8 months old. Anyway I had some star polyps which are infringing upon and getting ready to engulf some "armor of god" zoas so I cut off a section (see pic post cut) and needed something to glue it onto. So I pulled chunk of rock out of my refugium and dropped it into a tupper ware container to work on. I was really amazed to see life literally dropping off the rock (see pic). The whole entire process is totally astounding!!!!

rschneid
04/08/2015, 11:45 AM
meant to add this pic too

rschneid
04/08/2015, 11:49 AM
so if he is a fire worm, I should get rid of him? But we are not sure because my pics suck? I can pull the rock out and try to tweeze him out of his hole and take another pic. Whats the weight of opinion out there?

acrohead500ppm
04/08/2015, 11:58 AM
I vote harmless, leave it be, good garbage man.

Peter Eichler
04/08/2015, 12:13 PM
so if he is a fire worm, I should get rid of him? But we are not sure because my pics suck? I can pull the rock out and try to tweeze him out of his hole and take another pic. Whats the weight of opinion out there?

I tend to err on the side of caution with things that might be questionable as additions to my tank. Especially with pests... I won't even add most zoanthids and soft corals to my display for this reason. If it were my worm, he'd stay.

etepperman
04/08/2015, 12:20 PM
looks like a fire worm to me. I have never had one like that in my tank in over 20 years.

I think you should get rid of it, with caution. Do not let it touch your skin. I have heard they really can hurt you.

-E

acrohead500ppm
04/08/2015, 12:25 PM
looks like a fire worm to me. I have never had one like that in my tank in over 20 years.

I think you should get rid of it, with caution. Do not let it touch your skin. I have heard they really can hurt you.

-E

I think you maybe looking at the size of it a bit out of perspective. Its alot smaller than you think.

BrandonFlorida
04/08/2015, 12:31 PM
Id keep him. he cant hurt you since you know he is in there. why kill something that will do some cleanup?

Peter Eichler
04/08/2015, 12:35 PM
For those speculating that is is H. carunculata,. what's your basis for the identification. If for some reason you guys are right it's a miracle that I have living corals, because I have hundreds of worms that look identical. Looks like it could be Eurythoe complanata, but that's a mostly uneducated guess...

etepperman
04/08/2015, 01:05 PM
My distinction is the tuff clusters of bristles.

Seem most of the bristles worm in my tank have more singular bristles, but then again, it could just be the super zoom making it look big.

Iduhno
04/08/2015, 04:09 PM
I don't know if this will hep you identify what type you have but it may tell you whether or not it may cause any issues. Anyway it's a pretty informative article.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/rs/index.php

OllieDog
04/08/2015, 04:35 PM
Eat him.

But honestly, if it looks larger or stranger then typical, i remove them.

edog45
04/08/2015, 08:27 PM
I vote to keep it since its in your refugium. In my opinion it's harmless and won't hurt anything in there Except your finger if you touch it lol.

Peter Eichler
04/08/2015, 08:34 PM
My distinction is the tuff clusters of bristles.

Seem most of the bristles worm in my tank have more singular bristles, but then again, it could just be the super zoom making it look big.

That has nothing to do with how you would distinguish between H. carunculata and several other harmless and far more common species bristle worms.

acrohead500ppm
04/08/2015, 09:05 PM
I vote to keep it since its in your refugium. In my opinion it's harmless and won't hurt anything in there Except your finger if you touch it lol.

The irritation they cause is over played IMO, I usually don't notice I have been "pricked" until I pick up another piece of rock that causes the bristles to be jammed deeper into my skin.

Duct tape works great for removing the bristles FYI

Peter Eichler
04/08/2015, 09:10 PM
The irritation they cause is over played IMO, I usually don't notice I have been "pricked" until I pick up another piece of rock that causes the bristles to be jammed deeper into my skin.

Duct tape works great for removing the bristles FYI

Or soaking your fingers in vinegar since the bristles are calcium based.

jminick2
04/08/2015, 09:10 PM
id say bristleworm and leave it.

acrohead500ppm
04/08/2015, 09:12 PM
Or soaking your fingers in vinegar since the bristles are calcium based.

never thought of that, good call ! :cheers:

LauraBay
04/08/2015, 09:28 PM
I have several of these in my tank and they've never hurt anything. They do look weird, a lot more bristles and wider than the standard long skinny bristle worm but after keeping an eye on them I haven't seen them do anything other then wander around at night looking for leftover food.

JoeVandal49
04/08/2015, 09:35 PM
The irritation they cause is over played IMO, I usually don't notice I have been "pricked" until I pick up another piece of rock that causes the bristles to be jammed deeper into my skin.

Duct tape works great for removing the bristles FYI

I have found this statement to be true for the most part, but it definitely depends where they get you. On the palms and finger tips, i have never been effected even when touching them very firmly. I believe the skin is simply too tough for the bristles to effectively penetrate.

Now when i got nailed in the webbing of the fingers and up over the knuckles when i seriously smashed one between my fingers, it was not a fun experience.

Very similar sensation to stinging nettle for me personally.

BrettH
04/08/2015, 09:52 PM
Keep it! Just two nights ago I found a bristle worm chowing down on a dead crab.