Mindflux Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Some kind of spiny red worm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbnj Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Looks like a fireworm....detritus-eater. People used to try and eradicate them, now they're viewed as beneficial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindflux Posted July 1, 2011 Author Share Posted July 1, 2011 Looks like a fireworm....detritus-eater. Talking to a buddy he thinks it's a fire worm or bristle worm. Googling between the two I'm more inclined to say it looks like a bristle. Fireworms (or the ones I found images of) looked fuzzier, ala caterpillar's. Is this thing safe to have? Friend is saying if I try to yank it out of the tank don't use bare hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbnj Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Yeah, definitely do not touch it....nasty sting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bry Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 that worm is fine. I used to eradicate only the one that got really big, but that was for my own peace more than anything I read or saw. They're pretty cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wa1tx Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 I got this off a rock the other day. No idea what it was but it looks the same as what you posted. I knocked it off outside and left it. Next morning it was still alive. IMO, if I don't readily Recognize what it is and did not put it in my aquarium it comes out. Probably shortsighted but it has worked for me so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+C Lo Slice Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 I've had a couple of those. Freakin' creepy looking more than anything, but I haven't noticed any harm done so far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindflux Posted July 1, 2011 Author Share Posted July 1, 2011 I got this off a rock the other day. No idea what it was but it looks the same as what you posted. I knocked it off outside and left it. Next morning it was still alive. IMO, if I don't readily Recognize what it is and did not put it in my aquarium it comes out. Probably shortsighted but it has worked for me so far. Yeah I was wondering if yours was a bristle worm too. I happened to see this on a piece of rock that my teal candy canes are mounted to last night just out of sheer luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 It's a bristle worm. Definitely don't want to handle them, those bristle along the side break off real easy. Good scavengers and ubiquitous in saltwater aquariums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inland Reef Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Yep. Bristle worm. People used to suggest removing them, but that was still pretty tough. They are usually nocturnal, if you can't get them out in the open, then they break in half and grow back. Arrow crabs are pretty effective at eating them, but you'll generally always have them to one degree or another. Certainly don't try to touch them with bare hands. Think porcupine.... Personally, I think they are beneficial. I've never seen them harm corals, and they are great at cleaning up left over scraps of food, or the occasional die off. Kinda cool looking. While diving in Cozumel, I came across a whole pile of giant ones devouring a dead fish. These things were Massive & there was lot of them. You could barely tell that it was a fish they were eating on. I'd suggest leaving him alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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