What Is This Little Critter I Have Found In The Tank?

[sirichmond]

Hello,

Woke up this morning and noticed the little critter in the photo swimming around my tank, never seen it before. Its about an inch long and looks like a millipeed. Swims like an eel very quick stays near the water surface. Went to my LFS and they think it maybe some form of Sea slug but not 100% sure but it has been removed as they felt it might eat the corals. The tank has only 2 cleaner shrimp, 3 Hermit crabs and a snail. Nothing has been added for weeks. Also live rock which the LFS feel it may of come on. Any ideas

Cheers

 

[rabbut]

Initial thought was Bristle worm, but it dosen't have bristles in the pic and is fatter that I would expect it to be if it was a bristle worm...

 

[sirichmond]

Has lots of little legs down the sides like a millipeed and uses them for swimming

 

[rabbut]

Does sound similar to a Bristle Worm. Do a quick Google image search for them and see if they resemble them.... Most Bristle worms are safe, but larger ones are coral eaters. Those that are safe (most of them) are great little detrietors. All will pack a nasty sting however if you touch them

All the best
Rabbut

 

[SkiFletch]

Carefull Rabbut, bristle worms are indeed good detritovores, but even when they get large they do not eat corals. It's "Fire Worms" which are the coral eaters. Closely related to bristleworms and which often give them a bad rap, fireworms are different entirely. They are BRIGHTLY colored almost uniformly while the typical bristle worm has red faded to gray just as in the OP's pic.

 

[rabbut]

Thats not good. The "bristle worms" in mine may well be "fire worms" if that's the case

 

[Jonny967]

It is a Bristleworm but there is a special name for this type, it is something to do with the bristleworm breeding but its pretty hard to explain. I have seen them before they can swim in open water very fast.
I have a book somewhere that has a article about them so will try and dig it out and get back to you with some more info.

 

[sirichmond]

cheers that would be good

 

[Duck and Dive]

What ever it is, if skiflech is suggesting it may be a fireworm that will eat your corals if I were you I would net it out ASAP if it's a bristleworm or not I wouldn't run the risk. But don't let it touch your skin.

 

[rabbut]

You probibly will want a thick pair of marigolds on when handeling it. You may get some flack if your a bloke wearing them, but it's better than the pain of being stung by it. Bristle worm or Fire worm, if in doubt, get it out This said, you say in the origional post that it's already been removed

All the best
Rabbut

 

[SkiFletch]

Hopefully the good folks at NOAA won't mind if I borrow a picture of theres. The OP's worm is a bristle worm:

While this little bugger which is VERY brightly colored uniformly is a fire worm:

Hope that makes the distinction clear

 

[sirichmond]

Yeah it was removed without marigolds!!!! but to be honest it did'nt look very pretty so did'nt want to touch it. Thanks for the replys.