Bristleworms

[Arimus]

I've just found a bristleworm living in my live rock - despite the problems which caused the wipeout of all fish my snails, hermits and two of my corals are still thriving.

This morning though we found a longish bristleworm - mostly grey with white 'legs' (I know they're not legs but my mind has misplaced the proper name so until it retrieves it they're legs ). Trying to find information on him is rather a pain - so many different sites and recommendations etc.

Any of the experts here (whose opinion I trust) know whether

a) It is one of the more harmful or harmless kind?

B) What to do with it?

c) Anything else I need to know?

(The wife was distinctly unimpressed by it and accused me of having millipedes in the tank )

 

[dilbert]

Hmm, I'm not a biologist but I always had the impression that worms don't have legs.

And bristleworms have only bristles.

There are hundreds of bristleworm photos on the Internet. Couldn't you pick a photo that matches your guy closely and post the link?

Just to be sure. Maybe it is really something else.

 

[1entra]

Bristleworms in general are just scavengers and eat detritus and waste food etc etc so dont worry about it and just leave it be. I also have several similar looking breistleworms in my tank and they do not bother to hamr anything and only come out at night to scavange!

The only bristleworm I know of to be abit dodgy is the fire bristleworm (or something along them lines) and it is red!

 

[Arimus]

This is the closest

http/www.teara.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/7D64...283/p6887pc.jpg

and this is close as well

http/www.reefcorner.com/images/BristleWormLarge.jpg

 

[Lynden]

Probably just a scavenger. The one that eats corals is Hermodice and they are bright red and active during the day. They originate in the Caribbean.

It could also be a eucinid. Some of these are predators. Check it out on the web.

 

[SkiFletch]

Probably just a scavenger. The one that eats corals is Hermodice and they are bright red and active during the day. They originate in the Caribbean.

It could also be a eucinid. Some of these are predators. Check it out on the web.

Agreed, "Fireworms" are blatantly obvious predators. Usually extremely brilliant red or neon orange with bright white bristles. 99% of worms found in the tank are harmless scavengers

 

[Arimus]

Thanks for that.

Hopefully my tank is nearly cycled now - the surviving corals are doing better than I've ever seen them

(It will be atleast a week before we restock as I don't get paid for a week so should be finished in perfect timing)

Assuming it is someone please help me with stocking ideas.... every fish I look up seems to be 20gl or bigger where as my cube is only 12gl (US gallons)...


I'd like to keep a rainbow blenny and given my live sand is well and truely alive something to keep the critter population under control...

Would a 6-line wrasse be a suitable inmate?

(we're going to get a larger tank when funds permit so could always move the 6line on if he grows too big - but thinking he might be a useful critter controller)


Forgot to say, congratulations Ski on becoming a mod

 

[Arimus]

Hmm, I'm not a biologist but I always had the impression that worms don't have legs.

And bristleworms have only bristles.

I know - I just couldn't remember what the name was - setae was the word that had escaped me ...

Didn't want to say bristles as that would bias responses