Can someone please tell me what this is?

[WBozarth]

Can anyone please tell me what this is? I recently started my first salt water reef tank. I have no plant life in the tank yet, as I am waiting for it to cycle. I do have 1 shrimp, about 12 crabs, 2 snails and 2 clown fish. I'm not sure if this worm-like thing was in the live rock I put in the tank. I have at least 3 of them in the tank however. I'm just curious if this little guys presence is a good thing or a bad thing. Oh and sorry for the shrimps arm being in the picture, it was the best picture I could get of this guy. Thanks!

[WBozarth]

Is it a Bristle Worm and if so is it safe to have in a new reef tank?

[Original Fin]

Probably a bristle work of some sort, yes. People used to trap em and yank em out, but it's since been proven that they are beneficial as scavengers/detrivores/sand sifters. No worries.

[WBozarth]

I believe you are right. However, I am still curious... where in the world did it come from?

[Original Fin]

Live rock can be chock full of them. I have a lot of them in my Cheatomorpha too.

[Kmoriarty]

cool hitchhiker! all i've seen out of my 40Lbs are 2 aptasia ...and a couple tiny snails. Had to take care of those pesky aptasia!

[MyNameIsJoe]

I would leave it be. I have live rock in my tank that have 100's of worms in them. The only reason I would pull a worm out would be if it was eating my zoanthid polyps, some are known to do that. But, otherwise they are usually more beneficial than harmful..

[KingAmir]

I would leave it be. I have live rock in my tank that have 100's of worms in them. The only reason I would pull a worm out would be if it was eating my zoanthid polyps, some are known to do that. But, otherwise they are usually more beneficial than harmful..

Pull out that guys ba. Bristle worm do a bad thing in your system!

[MyNameIsJoe]

Pull out that guys ba. Bristle worm do a bad thing in your system!

What are the bad things that bristle worms can do to a system?

[mk1151]

What are the bad things that bristle worms can do to a system?

I've read (not on this forum) that depending on species and life stage they can multiply almost out of control, and they can "re-contour" (eat) the LR.

My LFS actually refuses any LR that comes in with bristle worms.

[MyNameIsJoe]

Hmmm... that's interesting. I've had loads of bristle worms for a little over 3 years and my live rock is still intact. From what I understand, there are different types of bristle worms. Some are considered bad, as in they have toxic bristles and can sting small invertebrates and soft corals [and human fingers ] . And then there are also the BW's that are known as harmless detrivores that are beneficial, especially in a sand bed.
I can see large worms, in excess of 5", cause some trouble in the reef tank. OregonReef(.com) had an extremely large worm clog up his plumbing on his 800 gallon reef. I don't believe this worm was a bristle worm, but it was somewhere around 6 feet long and an inch or so thick.
Small bristle worms however, I don't see being a huge problem.

[KingAmir]

Hmmm... that's interesting. I've had loads of bristle worms for a little over 3 years and my live rock is still intact. From what I understand, there are different types of bristle worms. Some are considered bad, as in they have toxic bristles and can sting small invertebrates and soft corals [and human fingers ] . And then there are also the BW's that are known as harmless detrivores that are beneficial, especially in a sand bed.
I can see large worms, in excess of 5", cause some trouble in the reef tank. OregonReef(.com) had an extremely large worm clog up his plumbing on his 800 gallon reef. I don't believe this worm was a bristle worm, but it was somewhere around 6 feet long and an inch or so thick.
Small bristle worms however, I don't see being a huge problem.

Bristle worms stings are very painful and leave a terrible rash. Be extremely careful when reaching into to your tank, and do not handle the bristle worm without wearing rubber gloves.


Read more: How to Remove Bristle Worm | eHow.com How to Remove Bristle Worm | eHow.com