Found A Free-swimming Bristleworm

[Donya]

I spotted a strange hairy worm swimming around in my tank today. I got it out to look at it, and saw it was the sexual stage of some bristleworm species (I guess it's called an epitoke?). It released what appeared to be eggs as soon as I put it in a container. My problem is that I don't know if I should re-add the worm + the "eggs". I know most bristleworms are beneficial, but I've seen so few of them I don't know how to tell a good one apart from one that might attack mollusks. Do the parasitic/predatory bristleworms have free-swimming stages? Help!

I'd take a picture but it's too small...it's white, about 1cm long. It moves by undulating extreemly fast, and can fairly rocket through the water.

 

[steelhealr]

Good detritivores. SH

 

[Donya]

How do you tell the difference between the detritivores and things like clam worms at such a small size?

I've been reading and I can't actually find anything that mentions a snail-attacking variety, so I will put it back in and hope for the best since I have no clams, mussels, etc. I am very concerned though that my stupid little goby will try to snack on it and get bristled it is, afterall, a wiggly wormy thing. I'll feed the goby before readding the worm to minimize the chances of a mishap.

 

[Navarre]

I would get rid of it. If its dangerous then its safely got rid of. If its a simply stage of a normal bristworm then you can be assured you still have plentyinthe tank and missing this one wont harm it at all.

 

[Opcn]

The goby won't make that mistake twice if he does munch it