weird worm ID

xownagex · 04/11/2008, 01:09 PM

Hey guys. i found an odd worm in my tank last night...it looks kind of like this

is it good bad? I know it's ugly..but that doesn't matter :P

if anyone knows, please lend your expertise..

RBU1 · 04/11/2008, 03:31 PM

Bristle worm....Harmless.

davidandliz · 04/13/2008, 06:17 PM

they get really long

Gordonious · 04/13/2008, 06:27 PM

I've got at least 30-40 of them in one of my 20g tanks. If you don't get them in with your live rock I'd wonder how "live" you rock really was. Bristle worms are harmless to 99% of animals. Some people have said that you should try to decrease there numbers if you plan on getting sea horses, which you couldn't do in that tank at this point anyway.

If you decide for some odd reason you don't want them most LFS, including one I know in Newark, sell little things you can put in the tank to remove them. If you bring them to the RC meeting I am sure someone would like them.

xownagex · 04/13/2008, 06:30 PM

Could it kill a turbo snail? Cause I think he did man...one of my turbo snails was over by there, and that was when I saw him...and now it's dead..

Gordonious · 04/13/2008, 07:08 PM

Lol, sorry gotta laugh as you'll find probably a couple of thousand posts on RC that will say the same thing.

Which came first the chicken or the egg? ;-) Think about it for a minute.

BTW, during that minute do not go through your tank trying to remove the thing. It is just about harmless and chances are you will kill a lot of other things in the process of trying to get it and be unable to kill it.

I'll post what I mean in a minute.

Gordonious · 04/13/2008, 07:34 PM

Bristle worms sometimes referred to as fireworms(though I would not use that common name) are perfectly harmless. The one you posted a picture of is a member of the Polychaete family probably of the Eurythoe genus. Ron Shimek says they are "Excellent beneficial scavenger(s); harmless to healthy animals." The key is in that underlined word. These scavengers are great at taking care of animals that are 99% dead already.

You usually see these critters at night time after dark, or if they are hungry enough during feeding, or... if you have a dead animal in your tank. Have many hermits that might be a little hungry or looking for an extra shell? Or have you heard any clicking noises coming from your tank late a night? Regardless double check your water parameters because that might have caused a snail to die.(or your snail may have caused the water quality to suffer)

If you haven't yet picked up Ron's book I'd suggest grabbing a copy next time youâ€™re in the LFS. It is great for flipping through and finding animals like this one.

Jon

Gordonious · 04/13/2008, 07:38 PM

Lol, went to the newby forum. Second post:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...readid=1369651

These critters have been blaimed for the death of so many animals, when infact they usually are just cleaning up.

04/11/2008, 01:09 PM	#1
xownagex Moved On Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Bear, DE Posts: 65	weird worm ID Hey guys. i found an odd worm in my tank last night...it looks kind of like this is it good bad? I know it's ugly..but that doesn't matter :P if anyone knows, please lend your expertise..

04/13/2008, 06:17 PM	#3
davidandliz Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Newark, De Posts: 313	they get really long __________________ Liz & David Current Tank Info: 90 gal {yellow tail blue damsel, mated sebae clowns, wc percula, 1 sebae clown, yellow tang, Naso tang, psuedo,lunare wrasse, Red Carpet Nem, 12 inch Leather

04/11/2008, 03:31 PM	#2
RBU1 Moving on Up Join Date: May 2004 Location: Southern NJ Posts: 5,042	Bristle worm....Harmless.

04/13/2008, 06:27 PM	#4
Gordonious Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Newark DE Posts: 3,399	I've got at least 30-40 of them in one of my 20g tanks. If you don't get them in with your live rock I'd wonder how "live" you rock really was. Bristle worms are harmless to 99% of animals. Some people have said that you should try to decrease there numbers if you plan on getting sea horses, which you couldn't do in that tank at this point anyway. If you decide for some odd reason you don't want them most LFS, including one I know in Newark, sell little things you can put in the tank to remove them. If you bring them to the RC meeting I am sure someone would like them.

04/13/2008, 06:30 PM	#5
xownagex Moved On Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Bear, DE Posts: 65	Could it kill a turbo snail? Cause I think he did man...one of my turbo snails was over by there, and that was when I saw him...and now it's dead..

04/13/2008, 07:08 PM	#6
Gordonious Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Newark DE Posts: 3,399	Lol, sorry gotta laugh as you'll find probably a couple of thousand posts on RC that will say the same thing. Which came first the chicken or the egg? ;-) Think about it for a minute. BTW, during that minute do not go through your tank trying to remove the thing. It is just about harmless and chances are you will kill a lot of other things in the process of trying to get it and be unable to kill it. I'll post what I mean in a minute.

04/13/2008, 07:34 PM	#7
Gordonious Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Newark DE Posts: 3,399	Bristle worms sometimes referred to as fireworms(though I would not use that common name) are perfectly harmless. The one you posted a picture of is a member of the Polychaete family probably of the Eurythoe genus. Ron Shimek says they are "Excellent beneficial scavenger(s); harmless to healthy animals." The key is in that underlined word. These scavengers are great at taking care of animals that are 99% dead already. You usually see these critters at night time after dark, or if they are hungry enough during feeding, or... if you have a dead animal in your tank. Have many hermits that might be a little hungry or looking for an extra shell? Or have you heard any clicking noises coming from your tank late a night? Regardless double check your water parameters because that might have caused a snail to die.(or your snail may have caused the water quality to suffer) If you haven't yet picked up Ron's book I'd suggest grabbing a copy next time youâ€™re in the LFS. It is great for flipping through and finding animals like this one. Jon

04/13/2008, 07:38 PM	#8
Gordonious Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Newark DE Posts: 3,399	Lol, went to the newby forum. Second post: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...readid=1369651 These critters have been blaimed for the death of so many animals, when infact they usually are just cleaning up.