Hitchhikers cleanup crew luck or bad luck

[Boxed Fish]

Am I the only one who loves bristle worms to be apart of the cleanup crew in the tank??!!

Hitchhikers clean up crew. What luck or bad luck have you had with free hitchhikers

(Didn’t mean for emergency to be at the header as no emergency unless some one posted a true hitchhiker issue here then no problem )

 

[keagan]

I've always had good luck with bristleworms never had any Eunice worms or anything undesirable from the polychaetes. However I have struggled with (stunning but annoying) zoa eating nudis.

 

[kevgib67]

I bought bristle and spaghetti worms for my tank when I set it up over 5 years ago!

 

[Uncle99]

A baby mantis Hitched a ride.
3 years later grew to 5” remaining hidden.
Then started losing a fish a week.
Got 4 before found and executed for crimes against.
Whats worst, is no live rock ever used.
Must have come on a coral and survived inspection and dip.

 

[X-37B]

I use live rock only in my systems. Mantis shrip can be the worst-case hitchhikers.
I set up a 10g just to keep one.
I have one in my 50 for the last 2 years and it has done well.
Had to remove one from my 150 as it killed all crabs and started on the snail population.

 

[X-37B]

A baby mantis Hitched a ride.
3 years later grew to 5” remaining hidden.
Then started losing a fish a week.
Got 4 before found and executed for crimes against.
Whats worst, is no live rock ever used.
Must have come on a coral and survived inspection and dip.

Probably came in as an egg or very small size. The one in my 10 was a 1/2" when I found it in the bottom of the bag.

 

[EricR]

I've never had any bad hitchhikers that I'm aware of.
I have regular/common bristleworms and like 'em.
Biggest surprise was chiton population explosion at about the 2 or 3 year mark after never seeing a single one prior. (No idea how they got in but glad they did).

*my live(ish) rock was just "aquacultured" (I guess) from Petco -- no ocean live rock or sand so that probably limits potential for crazy hitchhikers somewhat.

 

[Uncle99]

Probably came in as an egg or very small size. The one in my 10 was a 1/2" when I found it in the bottom of the bag.

Yup, I agree.
Glad you found yours!
On their own cool, but with others, Nasty little critter.
Stalks at night, beats its prey, drags and consumes.
Like a fish serial killer.