Worm ID

[xobklynqt143]

when i was moving some rocks around i saw this orange and black(middle) worm catch my eye i took the rock out and i broke it apart inside i found about 5-6 more of these lil worms. i attached a photo on what i found online that looks similar to what i have the worms i have are between 2inc and 1/2 and inch

 

[DevIouS]

Bristle Worm

 

[thirty5]

good detrius eaters. leave them alone. DONT touch them with your bare fingers, they will stick you.

 

[grknyer]

yep bristle worm. I wouldn't worry about them

 

[xobklynqt143]

thanks i know for next time....the 5 i found were flushed down the toilet lol

 

[vangoghfish]

Yes, a have a number of them, some very large, maybe 3-4+". Will they bother fish, snails or shrimp, or will they just eat dead things, along with cleaning the tank, etc.

 

[KathyC]

No, they won't bother your fish. Be sure not to touch them, I can vouch for the pain they cause...

 

[xobklynqt143]

ya they looked kinda freaky thats why they got flushed lol guess thats the last time i stick my hands in the tank without any gloves :redface:

 

[cybermeez]

You are probably going to see all kinds of "freaky" things in your tank. It's not a very good criteria for "flushing." Not to mention that fact that no animal should be flushed down the toilet. It's potentially very bad for the environment.

 

[vangoghfish]

OK, will let them be, I do have a 4" xmas wrasse, thought she would go after them, and also some tilefish, neither have, guess too big, with too many stickers on them.

 

[cybermeez]

Not sure about the Christmas Wrasse, never had one. My Six Line Wrasse will eat them....I sometimes see the bristles from the worm stuck in his face. It doesn't seem to bother him in the least. Guess they are yummy.

 

[KathyC]

Haven't seem my Christmas wrasse go after any. My 6 line is 'Cryptic 6 line'..so he's too small & quite to get aggressive with anything.

 

[Seadog09]

worm id

The arrow crab will also take care of the bristle worm

 

[basiab]

Although they are cleaners I do get rid of them when they start getting over 2 inches or thick like a pencil. That is just too big for me. And if they die inside a rock when they are that big you are going to have problems.

 

[Deanos]

And if they die inside a rock when they are that big you are going to have problems.

An effective clean-up crew and mature system should be able to handle the death. Smaller worms will eat the large dead one preventing problems.

 

[caad3]

Do they have stingers? There was references about the pain they can cause. I have grabbed small ones before and didn't have any problems. Maybe my dumb !@# got lucky.

 

[Killerdrgn]

Do they have stingers? There was references about the pain they can cause. I have grabbed small ones before and didn't have any problems. Maybe my dumb !@# got lucky.

Yes Bristle worms have bristles. I have grabbed a handful once, theres a picture of the sucker in a much earlier thread about scary stuff in the aquarium. It doesn't really hurt that bad, makes your hand go numb a little, a little vinegar makes it go away pretty quickly though.