Beautiful green spotted bristleworm?

[DukeDHunter]

So my 4 year old 13.5 gallon reef crashed a week ago. I messed up the sand bed during a water change and that was it. I moved what coral I could to my bio cube. Big sad but life goes on. My next reef will have no sand. Anyways I found this beautiful bristleworm and moved it to my bio cube. Is this coloration normal? I’m keeping my eye out for anymore that make their way out of the rocks.

 

[Maritimer]

They often have a sort of iridescent metallic sheen when the light catches 'em just right.

B.

 

[DukeDHunter]

Ah, right on. Thanks man!

 

[PeterB113]

How did messing up the sand crash your tank??? What got messed up during the WC? I don't want it to happen to me lol.

 

[DukeDHunter]

How did messing up the sand crash your tank??? What got messed up during the WC? I don't want it to happen to me lol.

My tank is fairly old, 5 years. It was my first tank so I put a 3 inch sand bed in. Over the years the sand bed, especially under rockscape where I can’t reach builds up nitrates and more dangerously phosphates. When I do water changes I usually have my wife help but this time I did it myself and it kicked up the sand from behind my rockscape. That released enough bs into the water that it crashed the tank. So far it’s been 2 weeks and some of my coral I couldn’t move is still holding on but it’s daily 50% water changes at the moment. I first heard about the dangers of sand beds 3 years ago, the right goby can really help though. I have 1 in my bio cube and he digs enough to keep the sand clean. I’m setting up a new tank to move everything to and plan on doing a bare bottom tank with an egregious amount of liverock

 

[PeterB113]

My tank is fairly old, 5 years. It was my first tank so I put a 3 inch sand bed in. Over the years the sand bed, especially under rockscape where I can’t reach builds up nitrates and more dangerously phosphates. When I do water changes I usually have my wife help but this time I did it myself and it kicked up the sand from behind my rockscape. That released enough bs into the water that it crashed the tank. So far it’s been 2 weeks and some of my coral I couldn’t move is still holding on but it’s daily 50% water changes at the moment. I first heard about the dangers of sand beds 3 years ago, the right goby can really help though. I have 1 in my bio cube and he digs enough to keep the sand clean. I’m setting up a new tank to move everything to and plan on doing a bare bottom tank with an egregious amount of liverock

Is it possible to have this happen in a 20g long? I have about a 1inch sandbet also with a Watchman goby and pistol shrimp pair

 

[DukeDHunter]

Is it possible to have this happen in a 20g long? I have about a 1inch sandbet also with a Watchman goby and pistol shrimp pair

Some people would tell you to get rid of it but at 1 inch I think your good. Just keep an eye on the sand to make sure it doesn’t change color. Mine under the rockscape turned black and I should have noticed and changed it beforehand. You live and you learn I guess

 

[PeterB113]

I

Some people would tell you to get rid of it but at 1 inch I think your good. Just keep an eye on the sand to make sure it doesn’t change color. Mine under the rockscape turned black and I should have noticed and changed it beforehand. You live and you learn I guess

Usually vacuum my sandbed once a week when I do my water change

 

[PicassoClown04]

My bristleworms are usually that color. It just means they're full of food/poop and you can see it inside of them. I dragged one out and put it in a little cup (to be disposed of) and it pooped, leaving it the normal pinkish color