Bristleworms killing my cuc!!!

Herbie's Reef · Apr 13, 2023

I have not seen either of my turbo snails roaming around in a while. Well today I found a dead turbo with some sort of bristleworm in the shell. The other turbo is now missing and so is one of my two trochus snails. Below is a photo of the worm which I beleive might be a fireworm? Is there any way I could get help on an id or suggestions on how to combat this such as adding some predators?

Also I did start my tank with live rock from KP so there is a large chance of unwanted hitchikers like this. Many of my hermits have also been showing up dead ripped out of their shell so these guys may be eating them too. TIA.

Goaway · Apr 13, 2023

That is a fireworm of somekind. Kill it with fire... Seriously.

Goaway · Apr 13, 2023

Also, do NOT touch it with bare hands.

Herbie's Reef · Apr 13, 2023

How should I go about getting rid of them? Wrasses? Traps? inverts?

RedoubtReef · Apr 13, 2023

Yeah, fireworm. Not your normal bristle worm.

Herbie's Reef · Apr 13, 2023

RedoubtReef said:
Yeah, fireworm. Not your normal bristle worm.

will they go after my fish or eventually target coral

RedoubtReef · Apr 13, 2023

I can't say for sure. I've never had them. I've heard arrow crabs and some wrasses will go after different types of bristle worms, not sure if that include fire worms.

TnFishwater98 · Apr 13, 2023

Herbie's Reef said:
How should I go about getting rid of them? Wrasses? Traps? inverts?

How many have you seen?

Goaway · Apr 13, 2023

Herbie's Reef said:
How should I go about getting rid of them? Wrasses? Traps? inverts?

If you can lure these out of food, I would get a net, tongs and capture. I never used a trap. So,,, there are many kinds out there and I would get to removing, the one on the snail could be rinsed off. I never got a notification for this message... R2R breaks sometimes.

That worm, isn't nothing like my fire worm.. It actually looks scary to me with those dots. I am going to bet, it might be a bearded fireworm.

Edit: bearded fireworms, everything is on the menu.

Goaway · Apr 13, 2023

Let me clarify, if you want to go with a bristleworm trap. There are DIY and ones you can buy. You could probably look up a DIY trap and have plenty of success.

I find food to lure them out with net - tweezers/tongs work very efficiently to grab them.

Herbie's Reef · Apr 13, 2023

TnFishwater98 said:
How many have you seen?

I have seen this ne and then recently saw another on my rock a little bit ago. I did try to get an ID on what I beleived to be a fireworm a while ago but only got one response saying it was a bristle.

Herbie's Reef · Apr 13, 2023

Goaway said:
If you can lure these out of food, I would get a net, tongs and capture. I never used a trap. So,,, there are many kinds out there and I would get to removing, the one on the snail could be rinsed off. I never got a notification for this message... R2R breaks sometimes.

That worm, isn't nothing like my fire worm.. It actually looks scary to me with those dots. I am going to bet, it might be a bearded fireworm.

Edit: bearded fireworms, everything is on the menu.

Oh dang. I have heard horrors about bearded fire worms. If it truly is a bearded I may restart my tank. I also have a cb regal angel coming in about a week. Hope he isn't on the menu.

TnFishwater98 · Apr 13, 2023

Herbie's Reef said:
I have seen this ne and then recently saw another on my rock a little bit ago. I did try to get an ID on what I beleived to be a fireworm a while ago but only got one response saying it was a bristle.

I can’t open videos, can you post a pic

TnFishwater98 · Apr 13, 2023

Not sure how much you know about saltwater worms but the common bristle worm would mainly come out after lights are out. You might see them during the day but they usually wait till dark to start moving around the tank. Fireworms don’t care what time of day it is. You will notice them during the day scurrying around.

homer1475 · Apr 13, 2023

Common bristle worm.

The snail probably died, and the bristle worm is doing what it's supposed to do.

vetteguy53081 · Apr 13, 2023

Herbie's Reef said:
How should I go about getting rid of them? Wrasses? Traps? inverts?

Green bird wrasse will eat them. You can also make a trap with a 1 or 2 litre bottle baited with shrimp

TnFishwater98 · Apr 13, 2023

I don’t think it’s a common bristle worm….

TnFishwater98 · Apr 13, 2023

Herbie's Reef said:
I have not seen either of my turbo snails roaming around in a while. Well today I found a dead turbo with some sort of bristleworm in the shell. The other turbo is now missing and so is one of my two trochus snails. Below is a photo of the worm which I beleive might be a fireworm? Is there any way I could get help on an id or suggestions on how to combat this such as adding some predators?

Also I did start my tank with live rock from KP so there is a large chance of unwanted hitchikers like this. Many of my hermits have also been showing up dead ripped out of their shell so these guys may be eating them too. TIA.

How do you know the snail is dead? Does it smell? Looks like it’s sheltering in its home.

Budman93 · Apr 13, 2023

The video one looks like a bristle worm which is harmless and would only eat something already dead. The pictures of the worm in the snail shell looks like a fireworm though.