Bristleworm ID

[Brad Coughlan]

Fire or bristle worm?

Managed to catch this that was coming out of a rock, not sure if it's a bristle or fire worm. If I have 1, should I assume that there are more?

I'm not sure if this one got cut in half when I caught it, would the other half live?

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Fire or bristle worm?

Managed to catch this that was coming out of a rock, not sure if it's a bristle or fire worm. If I have 1, should I assume that there are more?

I'm not sure if this one got cut in half when I caught it, would the other half live?

Looks to me like a bristle worm.

Fire worms have a complete different look. See below.

Yes, you should assume that there are more.

Ways it could be the only one, is if you believe you added something to the tank that they came on.

These things include:
-Live Rock
-Coral Frags
-Substrate from a different tank


And yes, they can also become 2 worms if split in half.

While its not common for the tail portion of the half the worm to survive after being cut in half, if it is cut just right, it definitely can become 2 worms.

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Looks to me like a bristle worm.

Fire worms have a complete different look. See below.

Yes, you should assume that there are more.

Ways it could be the only one, is if you believe you added something to the tank that they came on.

These things include:
-Live Rock
-Coral Frags
-Substrate from a different tank


And yes, they can also become 2 worms if split in half.

While its not common for the tail portion of the half the worm to survive after being cut in half, if it is cut just right, it definitely can become 2 worms.

Thanks for the info

I got this bristle worm on a green star polyp frag that I got a few months ago, the same day I added that I saw 1 bristle worm and never saw it again, a few months later (today) I saw it, assuming it was the same one

It's hard to tell if I actually split it into 2, since I used tweezers, but it looked longer in the tank than it did when I pulled it out, is it normal for it to shrivel up when it knows its being attacked?

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Thanks for the info

I got this bristle worm on a green star polyp frag that I got a few months ago, the same day I added that I saw 1 bristle worm and never saw it again, a few months later (today) I saw it, assuming it was the same one

It's hard to tell if I actually split it into 2, since I used tweezers, but it looked longer in the tank than it did when I pulled it out, is it normal for it to shrivel up when it knows its being attacked?

Bristle worms have the ability to stretch, and squeeze themselves, so they can fit into tiny holes of rock work.

I have pulled multiple out of my tank, that look like they are 4in, because they are stretching to find food, and the once I get them they turn out to be 2 inches.

Usually if they did split in have, you can tell.

Check each side, and see if it looks like part of it got ripped off.

Also, considering that you said you think its been in there for months, I would definitely expect there to be more.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Fire or bristle worm?

Managed to catch this that was coming out of a rock, not sure if it's a bristle or fire worm. If I have 1, should I assume that there are more?

I'm not sure if this one got cut in half when I caught it, would the other half live?

Standard worm and while not welcome in my tank is regarded by many as a cleaner crew member as they eat uneaten food and detritus. Theyre until handled with bare fingers

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Standard worm and while not welcome in my tank is regarded by many as a cleaner crew member as they eat uneaten food and detritus. Theyre until handled with bare fingers

Yeah, knowing that there has been one makes me go careful when going in the tank for maintenance

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Bristle worms have the ability to stretch, and squeeze themselves, so they can fit into tiny holes of rock work.

I have pulled multiple out of my tank, that look like they are 4in, because they are stretching to find food, and the once I get them they turn out to be 2 inches.

Usually if they did split in have, you can tell.

Check each side, and see if it looks like part of it got ripped off.

Also, considering that you said you think its been in there for months, I would definitely expect there to be more.

Could I lift up some rock and just see what's under there? Do you find that the impact your tank negatively?

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Could I lift up some rock and just see what's under there? Do you find that the impact your tank negatively?

Yes, you could, but it probably won't work as well as you are expecting it to. Most likely they will be in holes of rocks, not on the bottom.

I would say the most efficient way is to make/buy a trap.

If you are to flip rocks over, make sure you do so cautiously. As mentioned before, getting the bristles in you is not fun.

They are basically cactus spines, but they hurt way worse.

They typically do not affect a tank negatively.

Most of the time they eat leftover food and detritus, but I usually remove them. I don't really know why I do, and most people get mad at me for removing them. Lol.

I have seen them crawling over my corals to try to get food, which anything that bothers my corals, I remove.

The decision is 100% up to you. They are harmless in your tank most of the time, but they are not harmless to you.

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Yes, you could, but it probably won't work as well as you are expecting it to. Most likely they will be in holes of rocks, not on the bottom.

I would say the most efficient way is to make/buy a trap.

If you are to flip rocks over, make sure you do so cautiously. As mentioned before, getting the bristles in you is not fun.

They are basically cactus spines, but they hurt way worse.

They typically do not affect a tank negatively.

Most of the time they eat leftover food and detritus, but I usually remove them. I don't really know why I do, and most people get mad at me for removing them. Lol.

I have seen them crawling over my corals to try to get food, which anything that bothers my corals, I remove.

The decision is 100% up to you. They are harmless in your tank most of the time, but they are not harmless to you.

Lights are out in my tank, shined a torch at the area and saw another one, switched back on and it's gone, so they're still lurking in there

If I did remove them, do you just remove them as you go? Can they harm fish or snails?

 

[Rjukan]

Don't sweat the small stuff (bristle worms).

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Don't sweat the small stuff (bristle worms).

Are even large ones still good?

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Are even large ones still good?

Yup.

They are beneficial for your tank.

Only take them out if you have a reason to.

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Yup.

They are beneficial for your tank.

Only take them out if you have a reason to.

Ok that's good to hear

Only bad thing is that I'll have to avoid touching them, seen images of it and it doeen't look fun

 

[ChrisPPolys]

Standard worm and while not welcome in my tank is regarded by many as a cleaner crew member as they eat uneaten food and detritus. Theyre until handled with bare fingers

Out of curiosity, why don’t you welcome the free CUC/Food into your system?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Out of curiosity, why don’t you welcome the free CUC/Food into your system?

When I drained a 360g a few years ago, Found an abundance of them and one at 14" and another at a foot long and decided no more

 

[vetteguy53081]

Could I lift up some rock and just see what's under there? Do you find that the impact your tank negatively?

Likely there will be

 

[Brad Coughlan]

If it were to be a fireworm, I'd know right?

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Ok that's good to hear

Only bad thing is that I'll have to avoid touching them, seen images of it and it doeen't look fun

Yes, it's never happened to me, but doesn't seem fun.

When I first added live rock, I just put it in the tank for a few hours, because I had to go run some errands.

I got back, and started moving the rocks to my preferred aquascapes, and while doing that, I felt something soft, so I flipped over the rock, and there it was. A bristle worm. Luckily, nothing happened but they definitely do scare me now.

There is not a big concern about getting punctured by one. They are nocturnal, so they only come out at night, unless its feeding time.

You should be ok and not have to worry about getting punctured by one unless you are going to mess with the rocks, and sometimes the sand.

Thats when I would advise you to where gloves.

If you feel more comfortable wearing gloves in the tank all the time when doing maintenance, you definitely can do that!

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

If it were to be a fireworm, I'd know right?

The most common fire worms have red tufts of what looks like hair coming out of the bristles. Yours does not look like they have that.

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Yes, it's never happened to me, but doesn't seem fun.

When I first added live rock, I just put it in the tank for a few hours, because I had to go run some errands.

I got back, and started moving the rocks to my preferred aquascapes, and while doing that, I felt something soft, so I flipped over the rock, and there it was. A bristle worm. Luckily, nothing happened but they definitely do scare me now.

There is not a big concern about getting punctured by one. They are nocturnal, so they only come out at night, unless its feeding time.

You should be ok and not have to worry about getting punctured by one unless you are going to mess with the rocks, and sometimes the sand.

Thats when I would advise you to where gloves.

If you feel more comfortable wearing gloves in the tank all the time when doing maintenance, you definitely can do that!

Yeah, gloves seem to be a good idea, will do that