White Swimming Worm

GreyG35 · 01/17/2006, 09:11 PM

Just spotted a worm swimming in my tank just before lights out (the actinics were still on). This thing is white, about 4 inches long, and has smallish bristles. It took off from a piece of rock, then swam sort of like an eel across the tank, and grabbed onto a rock with zoos on it, where it seems to be crawling around. Hopefully it's not eating the zoos.

Do bristleworms swim? Should I be worried about this?!?

Looked on Melev's ID site, and couldn't find anything remotely similar.

Thanks!

Daddeo · 01/17/2006, 09:25 PM

Bristleworm, they will swim when it's time for them to spawn.

GreyG35 · 01/17/2006, 09:38 PM

Hmmm. I thought bristleworms were a reddish color? I've seen a couple of small ones in my 'fuge, but never anything this size. Do they come in different colors? Plus, it seemed thinner than the bristeworms I've seen...

Daddeo · 01/17/2006, 10:14 PM

The term "Bristle worm" is a blanket name commonly used for any worm with satae appendages. They come in many different shapes, colors, and sizes.

LeslieH · 01/17/2006, 10:19 PM

Despite the fact reefers that seem to recognize only 10 types of polychaetes (=bristle worms) there are about 10,000 known species and probably at least that many undescribed ones. They come in all colors & range in size from microscopic to about 15 feet long. Some of them swim to spawn.
Check out these 2 urls for pictures showing the great diversity of polychaetes & other small invertebrates:
http://www.nhm.org/research/annelida/index.html
http://www.nhm.org/guana/bvi-invt/home.htm

Paintbug · 01/18/2006, 08:35 AM

i believe what you saw was an epitoke. its how some bristleworms reproduce.

heres some info:
http://www.calacademy.org/research/i.../wormswarm.htm

http://www.reefs.org/library/aquariu...97/0697_2.html

roons · 01/18/2006, 09:10 AM

yep, epitoke, i saw tons of them when my tank first started, dont see them too much anymore

LTJGAlex · 01/18/2006, 01:41 PM

Yeah, seem 'em. They're fine. Bristleworms are not harmful, save for a few extremely rarely-seen species.

GreyG35 · 01/18/2006, 08:36 PM

Thanks for the info! I was just sort of surprised to see it. Keep seeing / learning new things with this hobby...

sean48183 · 01/18/2006, 08:39 PM

I had those in the first month of my tank and as soon as I added a couple fish they disappeared never to be seen again.

01/17/2006, 09:11 PM	#1
GreyG35 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Spencerport, NY (Rochester area) Posts: 186	White Swimming Worm Just spotted a worm swimming in my tank just before lights out (the actinics were still on). This thing is white, about 4 inches long, and has smallish bristles. It took off from a piece of rock, then swam sort of like an eel across the tank, and grabbed onto a rock with zoos on it, where it seems to be crawling around. Hopefully it's not eating the zoos. Do bristleworms swim? Should I be worried about this?!? Looked on Melev's ID site, and couldn't find anything remotely similar. Thanks! __________________ GreyG35 "...with fronds like these, who needs anenomes..." Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon Reef with 30 Gallon Basement Sump - AM 2x250 MH, 2x54 T5 Actinics, CSS 220 Skimmer, 55 Gallon FW (starring 5 crazed clown loaches and a Black Ghost Knifefish named Bob)

01/17/2006, 09:25 PM	#2
Daddeo "Daddius Maximas" Join Date: May 2005 Location: Mash Island, Florida Posts: 532	Bristleworm, they will swim when it's time for them to spawn. __________________ Life is short... Current Tank Info: 120 gallon(60LX20WX24H) In-wall, 2X250 watt 10K SE reeflux's, 110 watts of T5 actinic supplement, 2X Koralia 4000 EVO's, 20 gallon sump, 10 gallon fuge, ASM G3.

01/17/2006, 09:38 PM	#3
GreyG35 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Spencerport, NY (Rochester area) Posts: 186	Hmmm. I thought bristleworms were a reddish color? I've seen a couple of small ones in my 'fuge, but never anything this size. Do they come in different colors? Plus, it seemed thinner than the bristeworms I've seen... __________________ GreyG35 "...with fronds like these, who needs anenomes..." Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon Reef with 30 Gallon Basement Sump - AM 2x250 MH, 2x54 T5 Actinics, CSS 220 Skimmer, 55 Gallon FW (starring 5 crazed clown loaches and a Black Ghost Knifefish named Bob)

01/17/2006, 10:14 PM	#4
Daddeo "Daddius Maximas" Join Date: May 2005 Location: Mash Island, Florida Posts: 532	The term "Bristle worm" is a blanket name commonly used for any worm with satae appendages. They come in many different shapes, colors, and sizes. __________________ Life is short... Current Tank Info: 120 gallon(60LX20WX24H) In-wall, 2X250 watt 10K SE reeflux's, 110 watts of T5 actinic supplement, 2X Koralia 4000 EVO's, 20 gallon sump, 10 gallon fuge, ASM G3.

01/17/2006, 10:19 PM	#5
LeslieH Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 3,178	Despite the fact reefers that seem to recognize only 10 types of polychaetes (=bristle worms) there are about 10,000 known species and probably at least that many undescribed ones. They come in all colors & range in size from microscopic to about 15 feet long. Some of them swim to spawn. Check out these 2 urls for pictures showing the great diversity of polychaetes & other small invertebrates: http://www.nhm.org/research/annelida/index.html http://www.nhm.org/guana/bvi-invt/home.htm __________________ Cheers, Leslie So many worms, so little time... Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

01/18/2006, 08:35 AM	#6
Paintbug Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Stoneville, NC Posts: 6,169	i believe what you saw was an epitoke. its how some bristleworms reproduce. heres some info: http://www.calacademy.org/research/i.../wormswarm.htm http://www.reefs.org/library/aquariu...97/0697_2.html __________________ Never ask a girl over to see your crabs!! <-Tony-> Current Tank Info: NONE currently

01/18/2006, 09:10 AM	#7
roons Moved On Join Date: May 2005 Location: saugerties ,ny Posts: 1,240	yep, epitoke, i saw tons of them when my tank first started, dont see them too much anymore

01/18/2006, 01:41 PM	#8
LTJGAlex Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Halesite, LI, NY Posts: 1,055	Yeah, seem 'em. They're fine. Bristleworms are not harmful, save for a few extremely rarely-seen species. __________________ Virtute non aliter. Current Tank Info: JBJ 28g nano reef

01/18/2006, 08:36 PM	#9
GreyG35 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Spencerport, NY (Rochester area) Posts: 186	Thanks for the info! I was just sort of surprised to see it. Keep seeing / learning new things with this hobby... __________________ GreyG35 "...with fronds like these, who needs anenomes..." Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon Reef with 30 Gallon Basement Sump - AM 2x250 MH, 2x54 T5 Actinics, CSS 220 Skimmer, 55 Gallon FW (starring 5 crazed clown loaches and a Black Ghost Knifefish named Bob)

01/18/2006, 08:39 PM	#10
sean48183 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: michigan Posts: 1,577	I had those in the first month of my tank and as soon as I added a couple fish they disappeared never to be seen again.