Bobbit and other Worms

IKD · Sep 20, 2020

Hi All,
Need help with identification and confirmation of the worms below. I knew I had fireworm in my live rock and had no luck catching him after three high salinity (50ppm) dips and even squirting hyrdogen peroxide into the rock. I decided since this will be refugium rock anyway, I may as well break them to pieces to get him out. Well, I found a number of hitchhikers include a green mantis shrimp, several bobbit worms, and a pair of bristleworms.

1. Not sure what this is. It broke into the two pieces while retrieving.

2. Is this a bobbit worm?

3. Pretty sure this is a bobbit worm

4. Bristleworm I finally caught

TheShrimpNibbler · Sep 20, 2020

Perhaps @KJ or @vetteguy53081 can help you out. The fire worm is the only one I can confidently give an id on.

flampton · Sep 20, 2020

That 'fireworm' looks like a plain old bristle to me. Those did not look like bobbits either...

vetteguy53081 · Sep 20, 2020

First one is a nudibranch, possibly monti-eating. Discard it !!
Second one looks to be a Capitellid worm which is similar to a bristleworm without the bristles and eats detrious but I dont trust them as i see very few and would sump or discard it.
Third appears to be a young Bristle
Fourth is a bristle worm.

You got some bad guys on this rock - Yikes !!

IKD · Sep 20, 2020

vetteguy53081 said:
First one is a nudibranch, possibly monti-eating. Discard it !!
Second one looks to be a Capitellid worm which is similar to a bristleworm without the bristles and eats detrious but I dont trust them as i see very few and would sump or discard it.
Third appears to be a young Bristle
Fourth is a bristle worm.

You got some bad guys on this rock - Yikes !!

Thanks for the help! I thought the third was a bobbit given the classic ring on the neck and the matching head structure

In the fourth video, doesn’t this look like a bearded fireworm?

I put the mantis shrimp up for free in another

vetteguy53081 · Sep 20, 2020

IKD said:
Thanks for the help! I thought the third was a bobbit given the classic ring on the neck and the matching head structure

In the fourth video, doesn’t this look like a bearded fireworm?

I put the mantis shrimp up for free in another

Its confusingly close at a glance but fireworm has more pronounced feathering on tips

Fireworm

Bristleworm

IKD · Sep 20, 2020

vetteguy53081 said:
Its confusingly close at a glance but fireworm has more pronounced feathering on tips

Fireworm

Bristleworm

Awesome! Thank you. Should I assume these bristleworms are not Reef safe?

vetteguy53081 · Sep 20, 2020

IKD said:
Awesome! Thank you. Should I assume these bristleworms are not Reef safe?

I dont allow even bristles in my tanks. As long as they are out, discard them. Im sure there is more within the tank. These will not change the balance of your tank by eliminating them

IKD · Sep 20, 2020

Thanks! The rocks are actually still in quarantine. My new tank is coming in October.

KJ · Sep 21, 2020

IKD said:
Hi All,
Need help with identification and confirmation of the worms below. I knew I had fireworm in my live rock and had no luck catching him after three high salinity (50ppm) dips and even squirting hyrdogen peroxide into the rock. I decided since this will be refugium rock anyway, I may as well break them to pieces to get him out. Well, I found a number of hitchhikers include a green mantis shrimp, several bobbit worms, and a pair of fireworms.

1. Not sure what this is. It broke into the two pieces while retrieving.

2. Is this a bobbit worm?

3. Pretty sure this is a bobbit worm

4. Fireworm I finally caught

Pic 3 Ring Palolo worm Eunice sp.

Chibils · Sep 22, 2020

I had thousands of bristle worms like your second and fourth images in my previous tank. Never had any issues with them. It's up to you to decide what you want to do with them, though. There are thousands of different species, so you never know.

Joker79 · Oct 21, 2020

Sorry to blast in but if someone could help id this?
Thanks!

Steve Erekson · Oct 21, 2020

Joker79 said:
Sorry to blast in but if someone could help id this?
Thanks!

Nice find, looks like Syllidae

Joker79 · Oct 21, 2020

Steve Erekson said:
Nice find, looks like Syllidae

Thanks! I didnt know an id so I didn't place it in my tank. Ill research the name and see.

TDEcoral · Nov 13, 2020

I have to disagree on number 1 being a nudibranch. I had one in my live rock too and it's some kind of arthropod. You can see the legs in the video if you look closely. My best guess is some kind of isopod, but no idea really.

TDEcoral · Nov 13, 2020

Actually, disregard my last. I think it may actually be some kind of scale worm.

Polynoidae - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Scale worms (Polynoidae) on Singapore shores

Fact sheet with photos on flora and fauna of Singapore's intertidal shores

www.wildsingapore.com

McCarrick · Nov 13, 2020

I'm Inlcined to say that 3 is a hobbit worm because of the mandibles on it! Looks pretty gnarly. I'm suddenly wondering if I've been mis ID-ing what I thought were bristle worms. I used to have a ton of bristly worms that were bi colored, much like in one image above by @Joker79 that @Steve Erekson ID'd to be a syllidae

Daniel Thompson · Dec 23, 2020

IKD said:
Hi All,
Need help with identification and confirmation of the worms below. I knew I had fireworm in my live rock and had no luck catching him after three high salinity (50ppm) dips and even squirting hyrdogen peroxide into the rock. I decided since this will be refugium rock anyway, I may as well break them to pieces to get him out. Well, I found a number of hitchhikers include a green mantis shrimp, several bobbit worms, and a pair of bristleworms.

1. Not sure what this is. It broke into the two pieces while retrieving.

2. Is this a bobbit worm?

3. Pretty sure this is a bobbit worm

4. Bristleworm I finally caught

So you still have the bobbit worm???

((FORDTECH)) · Dec 23, 2020

IKD said:
Hi All,
Need help with identification and confirmation of the worms below. I knew I had fireworm in my live rock and had no luck catching him after three high salinity (50ppm) dips and even squirting hyrdogen peroxide into the rock. I decided since this will be refugium rock anyway, I may as well break them to pieces to get him out. Well, I found a number of hitchhikers include a green mantis shrimp, several bobbit worms, and a pair of bristleworms.

1. Not sure what this is. It broke into the two pieces while retrieving.

2. Is this a bobbit worm?

3. Pretty sure this is a bobbit worm

4. Bristleworm I finally caught

Video number three I Believe is a Eunice worm not Bobbitt