Live Rock and identifiaction of growth.

friedwilly · 04/12/2014, 09:40 PM

So I am in the process of building my first saltwater tank and I was fortunate to find a good deal on some live rock locally. I plan on using this rock to seed dry rock.

After getting the rock home and situated in a container. I reviewed the rock and came across these white squiggly lines on one of the larger pieces.Please see the image.

I want to know what these are and should I be concerned? The person I bought the rock from said they may be bristle worms, but I am not sure if that person is correct.

If they are bristle worms, I know some people keep them and others eradicate. If bristle worms are harmful, what do they destroy or consume? If I choose eradicate them, what is the process?

dmh41532 · 04/12/2014, 09:54 PM

They aren't bristleworms. They are the tubes of, well tube worms. Harmless filter fe
eders.

friedwilly · 04/12/2014, 09:56 PM

Thanks DMH for the identification.

bnumair · 04/12/2014, 09:58 PM

Vermetid snail or tube worms (Spirorbid Worms)

friedwilly · 04/13/2014, 06:38 AM

bnum, good or bad vermetid snail and tube worms?

bnumair · 04/13/2014, 10:49 AM

good filter feeders but sometimes they grow too much and everywhere and start irritating corals.

cloak · 04/13/2014, 10:55 AM

I think those are the Serpulidae worms outlined in this link.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-05/rs/

friedwilly · 04/16/2014, 07:00 PM

Thank you all for the information and the identification.

Well, I checked my Live Rock tonight that I am storing for my 60 Gal. Cube and I came across this little creep sifting through dust and rubble on the bottom.

Any help with and ID would be greatly appreciated. Also, whether he is a friend or a foe.

jbmills78 · 04/16/2014, 07:07 PM

Bristleworm, they can be good or bad depending on who you talk to. I for one, welcome them!

~J

ETA: I'm talking about the last pic of a bristleworm.

friedwilly · 04/16/2014, 07:14 PM

What are the positives to keeping a bristle worm and what are negative affects?

jabbott34 · 04/16/2014, 07:33 PM

looks like a bristle worm

friedwilly · 04/16/2014, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jabbott34

looks like a bristle worm

So some people keep bristles, what are the positives of keeping?

jlongwell · 04/16/2014, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by friedwilly

What are the positives to keeping a bristle worm and what are negative affects?

Pros:

They eat detritus, and can get into the nooks and crannies of your rock.

Cons:

They pack a nasty sting if you or your fish are unlucky enough to anger them.

They're ugly.

Secondsbest · 04/16/2014, 07:40 PM

Bristle worms are beneficial detrivores. Those bristles irritates the skin though, so be careful not to pick one up by hand. Over fed tanks can lead to a population explosion of them.

jbmills78 · 04/16/2014, 07:42 PM

They eat detritus/leftovers.

EnderTurtle · 04/16/2014, 07:57 PM

Your worm looks like a fire worm to me. Coral eater.

04/12/2014, 09:40 PM	#1
friedwilly Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Yorktown Hts., NY Posts: 116	Live Rock and identifiaction of growth. So I am in the process of building my first saltwater tank and I was fortunate to find a good deal on some live rock locally. I plan on using this rock to seed dry rock. After getting the rock home and situated in a container. I reviewed the rock and came across these white squiggly lines on one of the larger pieces.Please see the image. I want to know what these are and should I be concerned? The person I bought the rock from said they may be bristle worms, but I am not sure if that person is correct. If they are bristle worms, I know some people keep them and others eradicate. If bristle worms are harmful, what do they destroy or consume? If I choose eradicate them, what is the process?

04/12/2014, 09:58 PM	#4
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	Vermetid snail or tube worms (Spirorbid Worms) __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE Last edited by bnumair; 04/12/2014 at 10:05 PM.

04/13/2014, 10:49 AM	#6
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	good filter feeders but sometimes they grow too much and everywhere and start irritating corals. __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE

04/12/2014, 09:54 PM	#2
dmh41532 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Bellefontaine Ohio Posts: 771	They aren't bristleworms. They are the tubes of, well tube worms. Harmless filter fe eders.

04/12/2014, 09:56 PM	#3
friedwilly Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Yorktown Hts., NY Posts: 116	Thanks DMH for the identification.

04/13/2014, 06:38 AM	#5
friedwilly Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Yorktown Hts., NY Posts: 116	bnum, good or bad vermetid snail and tube worms?

04/13/2014, 10:55 AM	#7
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	I think those are the Serpulidae worms outlined in this link. http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-05/rs/

04/16/2014, 07:00 PM	#8
friedwilly Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Yorktown Hts., NY Posts: 116	Thank you all for the information and the identification. Well, I checked my Live Rock tonight that I am storing for my 60 Gal. Cube and I came across this little creep sifting through dust and rubble on the bottom. Any help with and ID would be greatly appreciated. Also, whether he is a friend or a foe.

04/16/2014, 07:07 PM	#9
jbmills78 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 65	Bristleworm, they can be good or bad depending on who you talk to. I for one, welcome them! ~J ETA: I'm talking about the last pic of a bristleworm.

04/16/2014, 07:14 PM	#10
friedwilly Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Yorktown Hts., NY Posts: 116	What are the positives to keeping a bristle worm and what are negative affects?

04/16/2014, 07:33 PM	#11
jabbott34 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: ne arkansas Posts: 43	looks like a bristle worm

04/16/2014, 07:40 PM	#14
Secondsbest Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 110	Bristle worms are beneficial detrivores. Those bristles irritates the skin though, so be careful not to pick one up by hand. Over fed tanks can lead to a population explosion of them.

04/16/2014, 07:42 PM	#15
jbmills78 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 65	They eat detritus/leftovers.

04/16/2014, 07:57 PM	#16
EnderTurtle BAR - Sponsorships Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 521	Your worm looks like a fire worm to me. Coral eater.