Fireworm removal

dagrinch65 · Jan 5, 2016

I understand that fireworms are no good for the tank. I'm not 100% sure it's a Fireworm but it sure is nasty looking. Reddish with what looks like white fizz on the sides. That said and if this is a Fireworm how can I go about getting it out of my tank? It's hiding in a rock that I really can remove. All advise appreciated

JadeM · Jan 5, 2016

this by the descriptions sounds like a bristle or fireworm for sure, I had them and had to bleach all my live rock, coral rubble and disinfect all coral it was complete madness, got there...eventually 4 years later, they had actually horrifyingly eaten my chocolate tang, it usually sleep under rock on its side and the worms ate off its mouth it could eat as tangs have specialised mouths and died went to burry it was carring it with fish tongs and the worms started to spew out of its mouth and it was gory as it gets so..... oh! and they all through my crushed sand literally! you would find 5 every inch! and there was a 5incher! anyway took down the whole tank and now looking better than ever! instead of taking the tank down in your case I would try baiting them if it is only a few so I would get netting put a dead prawn and the bristles would get stuck in the netting you can look more on that up on the internet and other tricks good luck ;)

Lionfish Lair · Jan 5, 2016

The odds of you have the undesirable fireworm, the Hermodice carunculata is slim. If it's a "fireworm", it's probably something like the Caribbean Fireworm, Eurythoe complanata. They aren't going to hurt your tank. I remove them if they get too big because some of my fish are bottom dwellers and I don't want them wrestling with a BW for food.