Is this a bristleworm?

kmoze2001 · 03/07/2010, 04:08 PM

Not a great pic, I had to take it at a fairly high angle...

Anything to worry about here?

didimcginty · 03/07/2010, 04:10 PM

sure is
is that a helfrichi firefish?

didimcginty · 03/07/2010, 04:12 PM

it will harm your corals, i hear arrow crabs eat them, and if you have one, they will multiply quikley, i have a refugium full of them

kmoze2001 · 03/07/2010, 04:12 PM

It's a firefish, not sure what 'helfrichi' is. She's a scardey cat, afraid of everything.

Peter Eichler · 03/07/2010, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by didimcginty

it will harm your corals

No it won't, that is a harmless scavenger.

didimcginty · 03/07/2010, 04:16 PM

if it is new it will take some time to come out, if it was a helfrichi firefish it would have been more expensive then red and purple ones. beautiful fish, no matter what one you have, i am done to one purple, adding more dosen't work for me

jmski333 · 03/07/2010, 04:16 PM

you prolly have a lot more than just that one bristle worm. 50% of people say they love them because they are great scavengers. 25% of people don't care, and the other 25% hate them. I personally dont care as long as its not killing anything i like. They get a bad rep because they eat dead things and people think they're responsible for the killing.

kmoze2001 · 03/07/2010, 04:21 PM

Oh, she comes out, just anyone coming up to the tank, or when the tang goes anywhere near her she bolts for a hole. Pretty damn fast, too.

Nothing new has gone into the tank recently, so the worm musta been there since the word go and hasn't hurt anything to date, so I guess we'll let him stay.

discocarp · 03/07/2010, 04:33 PM

They're no problem. Great detrivore.

jmski333 · 03/07/2010, 04:35 PM

yeah my purple firefish just hangs in the back behind the rocks and books when i walk up to the tank. I forget i have him.

kmoze2001 · 03/07/2010, 04:39 PM

We actually have two, and for about two weeks after the tang went in they NEVER came out, not even at feeding time. I think they're getting used to the idea that the big yellow thing isn't actually going to try to eat them as we're seeing them more and more.

divewsharks · 03/07/2010, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by didimcginty

it will harm your corals, i hear arrow crabs eat them, and if you have one, they will multiply quikley, i have a refugium full of them

they will not harm your corals. they are scavengers, only eat that which is dead/dying.
great member of your clean up crew.
just don't touch them with your bare skin. their population will only expand to what the tank can support.

scuba guy ron · 03/07/2010, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by didimcginty

it will harm your corals, i hear arrow crabs eat them, and if you have one, they will multiply quikley, i have a refugium full of them

where did you get this information from that they will harm your corals? i've never had a problem with them. they are amazing scavengers.

didimcginty · 03/07/2010, 06:12 PM

it was told to me by the people at my live fish store, because i have a refugium full of them they told me to make sure they are not getting into my main tank because they will do harm, was just what i was told. not trying to send bad info, just what i heard. i am no pro

discocarp · 03/07/2010, 06:22 PM

Bad info. You aren't the first to get it.

They are completely beneficial just don't touch them if you can avoid it. It isn't a huge deal if you do, but will be irritating. That is the only drawback of them.

pledosophy · 03/07/2010, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by didimcginty

it was told to me by the people at my live fish store, because i have a refugium full of them they told me to make sure they are not getting into my main tank because they will do harm, was just what i was told. not trying to send bad info, just what i heard. i am no pro

The only worms I know to be detremental to our systems are eunicid worms.

JME

scuba guy ron · 03/07/2010, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by didimcginty

it was told to me by the people at my live fish store, because i have a refugium full of them they told me to make sure they are not getting into my main tank because they will do harm, was just what i was told. not trying to send bad info, just what i heard. i am no pro

nor am i my friend....lol

noahm · 03/07/2010, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by didimcginty

it was told to me by the people at my live fish store, because i have a refugium full of them they told me to make sure they are not getting into my main tank because they will do harm, was just what i was told. not trying to send bad info, just what i heard. i am no pro

Yeah, don't feel bad, lots of things get the broad brush of condemnation from reefers simply due to similar looks or passed on misinformation. They don't even have 'jaws' per se. If only they could force people to read some basic info, a lot of stuff wouldn't get needlessly killed.

some (very few actually) eunicids are coral munchers, but have a very identifying 5 antennaed head as well as different 'bristles'. Also, fireworms are no good for the reef tank.

good reading on annelids:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/rs/index.php

stevejrnc · 03/07/2010, 08:33 PM

a six line wrasse can help keep the population in check
i've heard every opinion on these good to bad more bad with sps keepers

divewsharks · 03/08/2010, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevejrnc

a six line wrasse can help keep the population in check
i've heard every opinion on these good to bad more bad with sps keepers

One of my tanks is dominated by SPS, and there are plenty of bristleworms (large and small) in there, i watch them come out at night and sometimes during the day when there is food in the water.

they are not pretty, but they do their job and do it well.

if you really don't like them, six-lines will eat the smaller ones, as will arrow crabs, CBS and cleaner shrimp. you can also trap them.

btw: if they are in your refugium, good chance they are in the display tank, you may not see them, as they tend to hide, but they are there.

troyman · 03/08/2010, 06:15 AM

havent you learned not to listen to your lfs some of the advise i hear these people tell there customers is unreal for instance the other day a guy was getting his water tested they use api test kits the guy says he uses salifert is api better and the lfs worker said of course lol i almost fainted lol i got the man to the side and told him just follow directions on salifert and results are pretty close to actual

theyammieguy · 03/08/2010, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noahm

Yeah, don't feel bad, lots of things get the broad brush of condemnation from reefers simply due to similar looks or passed on misinformation. They don't even have 'jaws' per se. If only they could force people to read some basic info, a lot of stuff wouldn't get needlessly killed.

some (very few actually) eunicids are coral munchers, but have a very identifying 5 antennaed head as well as different 'bristles'. Also, fireworms are no good for the reef tank.

good reading on annelids:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/rs/index.php

Actually, I just read the other day that only one species of fireworm is harmful to reef tanks.

Runfrumu · 03/08/2010, 08:19 AM

coral banded shrimps eat them. I seen my old CBS (RIP) with them in his pinchers a few times eating them like a candy bar.

03/07/2010, 04:08 PM	#1
kmoze2001 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 67	Is this a bristleworm? Not a great pic, I had to take it at a fairly high angle... Anything to worry about here?

03/07/2010, 04:16 PM	#7
jmski333 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 494	you prolly have a lot more than just that one bristle worm. 50% of people say they love them because they are great scavengers. 25% of people don't care, and the other 25% hate them. I personally dont care as long as its not killing anything i like. They get a bad rep because they eat dead things and people think they're responsible for the killing. __________________ -Jordan- Current Tank Info: 90RR mixed reef

03/07/2010, 04:35 PM	#10
jmski333 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 494	yeah my purple firefish just hangs in the back behind the rocks and books when i walk up to the tank. I forget i have him. __________________ -Jordan- Current Tank Info: 90RR mixed reef

03/08/2010, 08:19 AM	#23
Runfrumu Hi Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NC Posts: 1,014	coral banded shrimps eat them. I seen my old CBS (RIP) with them in his pinchers a few times eating them like a candy bar. __________________ Red Sea Max 130d and 125 gallon mixed reef. Current Tank Info: 125 gallon oceanic tank, Lighthouse Pro XLS, 72" outer orbit fixture, H&S 150-F2000/1 skimmer, H&S 110 Calcium Reactor, Tunze 7096, 2 Tunze 6105's , Tunze Osmolator, Prime 1/4hp drop-in chiller. 5 years running. Red Sea Max, 3 years.

03/07/2010, 04:10 PM	#2
didimcginty Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 76	sure is is that a helfrichi firefish?

03/07/2010, 04:12 PM	#3
didimcginty Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 76	it will harm your corals, i hear arrow crabs eat them, and if you have one, they will multiply quikley, i have a refugium full of them

03/07/2010, 04:21 PM	#8
kmoze2001 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 67	Oh, she comes out, just anyone coming up to the tank, or when the tang goes anywhere near her she bolts for a hole. Pretty damn fast, too. Nothing new has gone into the tank recently, so the worm musta been there since the word go and hasn't hurt anything to date, so I guess we'll let him stay.

03/07/2010, 04:33 PM	#9
discocarp Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 2,707	They're no problem. Great detrivore.

03/07/2010, 04:39 PM	#11
kmoze2001 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 67	We actually have two, and for about two weeks after the tang went in they NEVER came out, not even at feeding time. I think they're getting used to the idea that the big yellow thing isn't actually going to try to eat them as we're seeing them more and more.

03/07/2010, 06:12 PM	#14
didimcginty Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 76	it was told to me by the people at my live fish store, because i have a refugium full of them they told me to make sure they are not getting into my main tank because they will do harm, was just what i was told. not trying to send bad info, just what i heard. i am no pro

03/07/2010, 06:22 PM	#15
discocarp Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 2,707	Bad info. You aren't the first to get it. They are completely beneficial just don't touch them if you can avoid it. It isn't a huge deal if you do, but will be irritating. That is the only drawback of them.

03/07/2010, 08:33 PM	#19
stevejrnc Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Hollywood FL Posts: 439	a six line wrasse can help keep the population in check i've heard every opinion on these good to bad more bad with sps keepers

03/08/2010, 06:15 AM	#21
troyman Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: troy ny Posts: 1,025	havent you learned not to listen to your lfs some of the advise i hear these people tell there customers is unreal for instance the other day a guy was getting his water tested they use api test kits the guy says he uses salifert is api better and the lfs worker said of course lol i almost fainted lol i got the man to the side and told him just follow directions on salifert and results are pretty close to actual