I got Worms!!!

[Flightpipe]

So its lights out in my tank and i am double checking my HOB skimmer and I see this guy smiling at me! What is it and is it bad, I was thinking bristle but he is dark colored and fat......... First impressions i am not a big fan of the little guy and I want him out how would i catch him?

[bertoni]

That looks like one of the standard detritivore bristleworms I see in my tanks. Is that Pacific rock?

[Flightpipe]

I have seen other MUCH smaller pinkish bristle worms before and I did add a new rock a week and a half ago from a saltwater speciality store They said it was from Tampa so he could have hitched a ride. I was just worried cuz he is so much bigger than any others i have seen and also looks different

[demonsp]

Better then crabs. In time he will grow.

[Flightpipe]

I know he will grow that is the issue I dont want to be pulling out a 3ft worm. I just want to know if that is ok like i said the size and color of the worm worried me for a new reef tank i want to resolve the issues now before my main additions to the tank are added that could be threatened. Demon cool dog BTW he got huge!

[demonsp]

Its a with caution critter. Whene small its food source is abundent but as it grows this may change. This would be the 3rd one i will fuge. Its pretty easy at this size. I have a plastic grabber type tool from pet smart and just touch him in the center and it will curl in a circle extending its bristles and doesnt move ,i just grab him with the grabber thing and dump in the fuge. This one comes out during the day foraging and this is a good sign hes hungry.

[Flightpipe]

I think i may pull him out for my own piece of mind then. Also my girl friend is the one who spotted him. Lets just say she in not a big fan of strange worms, and is one reason i am on here asking and checking the net on em. Thanks for the advise it seem i will worm hunting soon!

[demonsp]

If you want a reef tank then this means its all about the coral. Fish are for algea control and really help feed the coral as by feeding the fish the coral will get food. This is why a well mixed diet of 4 or 5 or 6 types of food fead 2 or 3 times a day.

So the more control you have the easier it will be. I alway remove any with caution critter from sponges to bristles.

[Toddrtrex]

I would suggest leaving it in the tank, it is a beneficial detritivore.

[demonsp]

I wouldnt.But you will never see them all and removeing them all is next to impossible. They do help its only whene the reach 5 or 8 or more inches they become the threat. If you see it remove and you will be much better off.

Originally posted by Toddrtrex
I would suggest leaving it in the tank, it is a beneficial detritivore.

[greenbean36191]

No they don't. Their diet doesn't change with size. This worm will be just as harmless at 2 feet as it is at 2 inches.

[Toddrtrex]

Here are some good posts about leaving them in.

Originally posted by greenbean36191
Ok, so to make a long story short the conflicting information comes from ambiguous use of common names and a lack of precise identification. Basically lots of worms with different behaviors are getting lumped under the same name.

Now the long version:
In the broadest sense the term bristleworm covers all of the polychaetes (which roughly translates to many bristles). These are virtually all of the segmented worms in your tank from hair worms and featherdusters to fireworms and eunicids. Obviously there is a lot of morphological diversity in the group and about as much behavioral diversity. Many are harmless, but many can cause problems.

When most hobbyists talk about bristleworms they're actually referring more specifically to fireworms which are all of the worms with the little calcium bristles that sting you when you grab them. Almost all of these guys are harmless and even desirable in a reef tank. The few exceptions are Hermodice carunculata and Pherecardia striata, both of which are extremely rare in the hobby, but will eat sessile inverts. To make things really confusing though, a lot of times when people in the hobby say "fireworm" they actually mean Hermodice.

Originally posted by greenbean36191
The good ones don't turn bad as they get bigger. A harmless fireworm is just as harmless at 24'' as it is as 1''. Their diet doesn't change with size. Eunicids and a few other large worms are bad news, not because of their size, but because of what they are.

[Toddrtrex]

Originally posted by greenbean36191
No they don't. Their diet doesn't change with size. This worm will be just as harmless at 2 feet as it is at 2 inches.

LOL Should have known you would post while I was searching your old ones.

[demonsp]

I have 1 link against and others if needed then i have links that say there fine. IMO these qualifys as with caution to me.

http://www.aquapages.info/index3.html

[customdusty]

I'm trying to get a large bristleworm out of my tank now. It was eating my frogspawn and I lost an entire head already.

When they get big, you need to keep an eye on what they are doing, they are aggressive and pack a pretty hefty punch.

[Flightpipe]

Good reading thanks for the input everyone. I am not trying to remove them all so i know i will still have plenty to go around but anyone that is that size i will be playing on the safe side and pulling out of my DT.

[tmz]

Listen to Greenbean on this.
If the worm you have is large ,however, even if it won't be eating your corals it can sting with those bristles and may irritate them as it passes over them. If you do choose to remove it be careful; it can sting you too.

[Flightpipe]

What is the best way to remove a large worm? I was thinking like Demon said tongs or something like that. Do any trap bought home made or other wise work well?

[demonsp]

Its the amount of food he perfers to eat that reduces and hunger will be the factor.Starve or eat. Remeber whene its small then the whl tank is a food source whene they get real large its harder to reach those normal food source. Many have no problems and some have. Your taking a risk not removeing these real large ones.
I have links if you want on both ends. The more you know.So saying "you will never have any problems" isnt 100% true.

Originally posted by greenbean36191
No they don't. Their diet doesn't change with size. This worm will be just as harmless at 2 feet as it is at 2 inches.

[tmz]

Originally posted by demonsp
Its the amount of food he perfers to eat that reduces and hunger will be the factor.Starve or eat. Remeber whene its small then the whl tank is a food source whene they get real large its harder to reach those normal food source. Many have no problems and some have. Your taking a risk not removeing these real large ones.
I have links if you want on both ends. The more you know.So saying "you will never have any problems" isnt 100% true.

If they don't eat coral. They don't eat it period.

[Toddrtrex]

Originally posted by tmz
If they don't eat coral. They don't eat it period.

*sarcasm on*Nah, greenbean36191 has no idea what he is talking about *sarcasm off*

[demonsp]

No not coral , never said coral. CUC or smaller sleeping fish ( if they sleep ) could be prey.
Its a no brainer.These guys are night critters and if you see them during the day foraging then its hungry. Im not saying its as bad as low flow im just saying anything thats even slightly able to harm my reef tank and i can easily remove then i do.
Fuge him for easier display and feed him some raw shrimp once in a awile. Hindsite is 20 20 .

[demonsp]

LOL. You guys think i just came up with this huh. Ive done research and like i said its like 50/50 on this critter. Some say there fine and others say with caution.
Coral wasnt even the issue.

[Toddrtrex]

No, I am just going off of all the past advice of your's that I have read.

[demonsp]

http://www.zeovit.com/forums/archive...hp/t-2267.html

Another on its use for eliminating Ick.

http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/ht.htm