New Nano and Help with a Hitchhiker!

CornBred · Aug 22, 2021

Hi from Pittsburgh area, everyone!

I was hoping for my first post to be about the Nano tank I’ve been cycling - it’s my first. I’ll do a post in the build forum next, I’m adding livestock now. R2R has already been a great help and I can’t wait to participate more!

Unfortunately, today I found a many-legged hitchhiker on (well… in?) my LR. I managed to snap a pic. I was planning to just pull him out of the tank since he’s an unwelcome guest, but it turns out he shrinks right back into his hole in the LR at the slightest disturbance.

Thank you!

Peace River · Aug 22, 2021

Welcome to Reef2Reef!!!

Turnage · Aug 22, 2021

Welcome.

That's a bristle worm.

Billldg · Aug 22, 2021

Welcome to R2R!!! I agree, it looks like a bristly worm.

Tired · Aug 22, 2021

That's a bristleworm, yep. They're not dangerous to your critters, but those "legs" are bristles/spines that will stick in your finger and kinda hurt if you touch it. You shouldn't be putting your hands anywhere a bristleworm might be, anyway, live rock can have sharp edges and nasty bacteria on it. Wear gloves if handling anything in your tank.
Bristleworms are good detritivores. If you overfeed, you'll get a lot of big ones. If you feed reasonably, they'll stay in check and be useful cleanup crew. They'll eat dead and dying corals, so sometimes get blamed for those corals having died, but this type of worm doesn't kill anything.

Ryan3313 · Aug 22, 2021

PeterC99 · Aug 22, 2021

Welcome to R2R!

Careful of the bristle worms. While beneficial to aquarium, they sting when you touch them.

CornBred · Aug 22, 2021

Turnage said:
That's a bristle worm.

Thanks @Turnage!
I’ve done three minutes of Google/YouTube research (which practically makes me an expert kidding, kidding) and it seems like they’re pretty harmless. It doesn’t look like the fireworm type.
Much appreciated

CornBred · Aug 22, 2021

Tired said:
That's a bristleworm, yep. They're not dangerous to your critters, but those "legs" are bristles/spines that will stick in your finger and kinda hurt if you touch it. You shouldn't be putting your hands anywhere a bristleworm might be, anyway, live rock can have sharp edges and nasty bacteria on it. Wear gloves if handling anything in your tank.
Bristleworms are good detritivores. If you overfeed, you'll get a lot of big ones. If you feed reasonably, they'll stay in check and be useful cleanup crew. They'll eat dead and dying corals, so sometimes get blamed for those corals having died, but this type of worm doesn't kill anything.

Phew - I’m glad he retreated when I tried to get him out before this post!
I appreciate the tip, I’ll leave the little fella alone and from now on I’ll be using gloves for the LR. I’m guessing where there’s one, there’s likely more.