Creature And Algae!

[sarah_cropper]

Hi,

I've just put some live rock in my tank, and spotted a huge worm like thing! I have a picture below.


It's a pinky peachy colour, has lots of legs (kind of feathery) and is about 4 inches long. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?! It keeps going through the rock, and I think it might be leaving a sort of grey slime behind....

Also, I think I may have some algae. It's brown and has appeared over quite a bit of my sand and the bottom of the glass.

I don't yet have a clean up crew (all I have is LR) any suggestions?

Thankyou

Sarah

 

[ASD]

The worm is a Bristle worm, totally harmless and actually beneficial. It can leave a rash or irritate your skin if you touch it.

The brown algea is cyano, a normal phase of the maturing process and will go. You could add some clean up crew at this stage.

 

[sarah_cropper]

Thankyou!

Any idea on what kind of clean up crew to add? Snails? Cleaner Shrimps?

 

[SkiFletch]

Actually since her tank is so new I'd say the "brown algae" is diatoms instead of cyano. Either way the same advice applies though, its cleanup crew time

 

[Chac]

Ahhhhh get that Worm out yer tank quick



Nah only joking its just a ickle bristle worm, just dont put yer finger near it

 

[Riley]

I have alot of Bristle worms..I wear rubber gloves while touching my live rock cause I really don't want to deal with one breaking off in my finger 8) .

 

[brittlestar]

I have alot of Bristle worms..I wear rubber gloves while touching my live rock cause I really don't want to deal with one breaking off in my finger 8) .

OUCH!!! Hi all I am new to this forum and my hubby also joined today, he is called newtomarine, so I'm sure we'll be bugging you all with lots of questions

What other little critters live in live rock - are any of them dangerous?!! I am scared of snails and have been informed we definitely need some so I won't be putting my hand in the tank anyway....

 

[SkiFletch]

The MOST common hitchhikers are:

Bristleworms - good
Aiptasia - bad
rock crabs - ok
gorilla crabs - bad
feather dusters - good
snails - good

There are TONS of others and although I dont have the link on my work computer, if I get home and nobody has posted it, I'll link you to the list of common hitchikers with pics

 

[Chac]

Critter Link Ski was talking about

 

[SkiFletch]

Sweet, Chac to the rescue. Thanks man

 

[Riley]

Another Thing
Hes just another thing thats pretty usefull to read just so that you keep your head up.

-Riley

 

[Lynden]

I would try to get a fish called "Sixline Wrasse" if I were you.

I have heard many horror stories about bristleworms dismantling corals; Sixline Wrasse are a good "reef-safe" predator for bristlewors.

Low levels of them are useful - they eat dead animals. However, mine were exterminated long ago due to a tremendous ammonia spike. So I have neither the benefits nor worries.

-Lynden