Newbie with a Critter

cybanez

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Hi all! I’m just getting back into the hobby after a 10 year hiatus. I never was what anyone would call an expert and after being infected with bristle worms, I gave up. I am beyond grossed out by them and am being extremely paranoid about how I start my new tank.

I just got through the cycle with an Evo 13.5 and only have my live sand and dry rock in the tank. I ordered a few things from Addictive Reef Keeping (coralline spotted shells, coralline pieces, and 8oz live coralline). I really wanted to kick off the coralline, if you couldn’t tell!!

This guy was hanging out in the shell bag and I’m not sure if he’s a good guy or a bad guy!

Any advice on avoiding the creepy crawlies is also much appreciated. Yeah… I’m a girl about it! If I get another dang bristleworm bloom, I’m giving up forever!

IMG_1330.jpeg
 

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I'm going to assume potentially a bad guy. Hard to see from the picture but it's potentially an aiptasia or majano anemone.
 

vetteguy53081

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Hi all! I’m just getting back into the hobby after a 10 year hiatus. I never was what anyone would call an expert and after being infected with bristle worms, I gave up. I am beyond grossed out by them and am being extremely paranoid about how I start my new tank.

I just got through the cycle with an Evo 13.5 and only have my live sand and dry rock in the tank. I ordered a few things from Addictive Reef Keeping (coralline spotted shells, coralline pieces, and 8oz live coralline). I really wanted to kick off the coralline, if you couldn’t tell!!

This guy was hanging out in the shell bag and I’m not sure if he’s a good guy or a bad guy!

Any advice on avoiding the creepy crawlies is also much appreciated. Yeah… I’m a girl about it! If I get another dang bristleworm bloom, I’m giving up forever!

IMG_1330.jpeg
majano anemone
 
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cybanez

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I'm going to assume potentially a bad guy. Hard to see from the picture but it's potentially an aiptasia or majano anemone.
Thanks! I confirmed it WAS an aiptasia anemone. He is frozen in my freezer now along with some other bristle worms and asterina starfish.
 
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cybanez

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Looks like somekind of anemone, looks loosely attached so now would be a good time to pull it and hope no more show up.
Thank you! And I agree with your name and quote! God, I hate bristleworms. I ended up tossing out a whole batch of the coralline shells I ordered because I saw a tiny bristleworm. They can burn in hell as far as I am concerned!
 

BristleWormHater

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Thank you! And I agree with your name and quote! God, I hate bristleworms. I ended up tossing out a whole batch of the coralline shells I ordered because I saw a tiny bristleworm. They can burn in hell as far as I am concerned!
Its more sarcasm on my part lol, they are actually a very vital in the ecosystem of a healthy tank. I guarantee you they are already in your tank, or depending on how new it is they will get in there.
 
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cybanez

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Its more sarcasm on my part lol, they are actually a very vital in the ecosystem of a healthy tank. I guarantee you they are already in your tank, or depending on how new it is they will get in there.
Yeah, well, cockroaches might be important for some reason too, but they’re ugly and gross and I will always hate them!
I don’t think you understand just how much bristle worms ick me out. 🤣. If you ever find some that don’t look like they crawled out of the depths of hell and straight into my life - multiplying and growing exponentially - then we can talk about me ending my war on the species!
 

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