Gross worm ...

[LJC6780]

I've found several of these in my tank. They came in on a piece of live rock covered in mushrooms. I did a fresh water dip on it today to try to rid it of some and there were a bunch of big juicy ones that came out. I just sucked this one off of the rock in the tank ... not sure if ya harmless or not but it really creeps me out. Ick!

 

[ElusiveKumquat]

Bristleworm!

 

[LJC6780]

Bristleworm!

Ok. From pics I've looked up, it seems fatter. It's almost round, and sort of pinkish. And the legs are more like sections of body ... does that sound right?

Are they good or bad?

 

[Supurderek]

It is considered a part of a clean up crew. However some people believe they eat other organisms when large. I believe they are useful in small numbers since they eat leftovers. If they get large or too many, usually it is the fault of overfeeding.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

I wonder what type he is. Check out those eyes!

 

[ahiggins]

I wonder what type he is. Check out those eyes!

Hahahaha
Wow. Googlie eyes over a bristle worm.
I found a 4 incher in my dt last night. Put that sucker right in the toilet. I'm not about to be stung.

 

[FrankiePuffer]

Hahahaha
Wow. Googlie eyes over a bristle worm.
I found a 4 incher in my dt last night. Put that sucker right in the toilet. I'm not about to be stung.

I care for a fish only tank at work that has bistleworms. The tank was grossly overfed and I have changed that so they have gotten smaller and the quantity has dropped with that and physical removal. The major problem is maintenance with larger size and quantity doing maintenance can be painful. The bristles are everywhere and you experience pain and swelling for several days then 2weeks later your fingers peel. Not very pleasant and medical latex gloves don't seem to help.
On the positive side if they are keep under control they do clean the tank well

 

[Raghav2384]

6 years ago, when I first got in to Salt water, had just one on the live rock. I was feeding my fish generously and these little worms multiplied and at one point I had 100s of them..I started to target feed my fish, couple of pellets for each fish for a month and the bristle worms disappeared.

Pros: when they are tiny and smaller in size, they keep your tank clean

Cons:
They can get pretty big.
It hurts like hell when you accidentally touch one of these worms
They may start killing much smaller creatures

+ they look gross

Thanks,
Raghav

 

[LJC6780]

Well good to know about the stinging! They gross me out so much I have been wearing tall yellow kitchen gloves when working on the tank. I dipped some coral today and decided to dip the large mushroom rock. A ton came off of it, it was disgusting! Makes me want to find some taller gloves to wear in the future because these kept getting full of water. I could do without them. I'll get more crabs or snails if needed! [emoji37][emoji32]

 

[Lionfish Lair]

I'm not sure if I consider it painful. I know people have different pain tolerances, but I actually didn't know they were in my finger until I picked up a pen and it hit the bristles. It doesn't draw blood or anything. Scratching yourself on vermetid and spinoid tubes hurt more.

 

[LJC6780]

I'm not sure if I consider it painful. I know people have different pain tolerances, but I actually didn't know they were in my finger until I picked up a pen and it hit the bristles. It doesn't draw blood or anything. Scratching yourself on vermetid and spinoid tubes hurt more.

Like a splinter left in your hand? Ick! Well I was wearing gloves because the thought of actually touching one just grosses me out!