What The Heck?

[Zippeay]

I was wondering if anyone knows what the heck I'm talking about. I have a 35 gallon tank with 35 lbs of LR, I started the tank about 4 weeks ago and I haven't put any fish in it yet. There are all kinds of cool things growing in it, most of which I have no idea what they are. My question is I've seen this worm looking thing in some of the LR craters. Its kind of red with white spines all over it, does anyone have any idea what it is? Is it something I should try to get out of my tank or is it harmeless? I'd take a pic of it but its hard to find most of the time plus my wife took my camera with her on a business trip so I can't ATM. Anyway thanks for any help out there. O and another question is would it be ok to add 2 clowns and 1 Mandarin dragonet or should I only add one at a time? Thanks again
P.S. I did have the water tested and they said I should be fine to add fish right now.

 

[pleder]

The worm is probably a species of bristle worm. Most are fine IME. There are some fireworms that can be problems, when you get a chance to take a pic post it and we can ID it for you. Or you can google bristleworm and find several pics.

Adding the clowns would not be a problem, but adding a manderin is unadvisable. Manderins have a diet that consists mainly of various pod life found on the rock. Most systems take around a year before they can grow enough colonies to support a manderin. A refugium would help speed thing up because the pod population could reproduce unchecked, but even with a fuge I'd wait at least 6 months.

A refugium doesn't have to be a huge old thing, you could go with a simple HOB and fill it with some rubble rock and some chaetomorpha.

Good Luck.

 

[Zippeay]

Hey thanks a lot! I'm glad I asked before getting the Manderin now . Even though I really want one, I'll just get a couple clowns for right now. O I found a pic of the worm, it looks just like this oneFireworm This website say's that banded shrimp will eat them I wanted to get some banded shrimp anyway. I think there are 2 worms but I'm not sure, I saw one on the bottom one morning and another "Or the same one" inside some of the LR I have. It looks just like that picture, thanks again -Zipp

 

[Opcn]

Coral Banded shrimp are effective predators of slow moving fish like mandarins, a sixlined wrasse might be a better option, or even an arrow crab, as they don't have the powerful mincers of the cbs.

 

[steelhealr]

You're not alone. Everytime I go to my lfs and see a mandarin, my mouth drops open and I"m agaw at how beautiful they are. Unless you have a tank greater than 100gallons and up and running for over a year with a good supply of renewable copepods, mandarins are virtually doomed to starvation and death. I applaud that you asked and wish to be conscientious. You get big points in our forum. SH

 

[Zippeay]

Yeah I don't think I'm getting the Mandarin, its a beautiful fish but what good is it if it just die's . So RIght now I'm going with 2 clowns, a Royal Gramma, a Hawkfish and possibly a coral beauty. I don't think any of those will clash with CBS will they? I really like the CBS I actually wanted one before my whole bristle worm thing came up, its just an added bonus now . Will the CBS eat all my snails and crabs? I have 5 snails and 5 little crabs "not sure what kind, the Saltwater store dude said they'd be good for my tank". Anyway thanks guys .

 

[drag]

the cbs are sold as reef safe but i have one now for over a year and you have to keep it well fed or it will try to pinch my fish. ( really only attempsts to pinch never actually does) i have 2 clowns.
mine feeds out of my hand.

oh and the cbs has killed about 6 peppermint shrimp in my tank.

 

[steelhealr]

Hawkfish like to eat shrimp and inverst. Be careful.....same with the CBS. SH

 

[Zippeay]

Hawkfish like to eat shrimp and inverst. Be careful.....same with the CBS. SH

O man... Ok... Guess I'll mark off the hawkfish too .