Bristleworm?

[showjyr]

Is this a bristleworm? It doesn't seem to have bristles and has more of a round millipede type body. It lives in that hole right near the middle of the zoa frag. I've seen it out in the day a few times and was quick enough to get a pic this time.

 

[Donya]

I have those but have never been able to get a successful ID on what they are. They are not regular bristleworms, but they are harmless as far as I've seen.

 

[showjyr]

Harmless is always good. Nice to know I'm not the only one with unidentified worms.

Does anybody know what type of worm they are?

 

[Jager]

are bristleworms bad, i was talking to the LFS and he said that they would attack soft coral and anemones is that true? if so, what can been done to get rid of them, like what fish will eat them.

 

[showjyr]

No they won't attack soft corals or nems. Most people leave them or in some cases add them to tanks. They are great scavengers and can only become troublesome(i've heard) when very, very large or if you touch one.

 

[Lynden]

The bright red, bold ones (Hermodice) should be acted against as they are corallivorous. Throw them in a sump or fuge if you find them; save killing as a last resort. Many wrasses and certain other fish, plus certain crustaceans, are a more natural way to keep their numbers low.

The more common pink ones are very helpful and should be left alone.

 

[showjyr]

Aren't the bright red one usually called fire worms?

How about you Lynden....do you know what kind of worm it is?

 

[SkiFletch]

Yes, the bright red ones are fireworms, but you'll never mistake those

 

[Lynden]

Well just to nitpick, to biologists all of what we call "bristleworms" are "fireworms" and all polychaetes are called "bristleworms".

It is a bristleworm of some kind. If you wake up to find your zoas have fallen apart at the seams, then it may be time to look into it. Otherwise, they are beneficial scavengers like other bristleworms.

 

[showjyr]

Yeah, they didn't really seem to be hurting anything I just wanted to know what they were.