Can anyone identify this for me ?

[Benedetto84]

I just got home from work and wanted to check the tank out before I go to bed and noticed this wierd looking worm. Can anyone tell me what it is and if it's good or bad?

 

[Benedetto84]

Hmm I think I figured it out bristle worm? Am I correct ?

 

[USMC4Life]

It looks like a bristle worm. They can be good or bad. But I think the consensus on it that they are bad. I could be wrong.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

No, the general consensus is that they are beneficial. That's just a Linopherus species and that's about as big as they'll grow.

 

[USMC4Life]

No, the general consensus is that they are beneficial. That's just a Linopherus species and that's about as big as they'll grow.

Nice. Thanks for correcting me. I had a massive one in my tank that looked like that. So I assume that was a bristle worm.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

No, you're correct, it is a bristleworm. It's just that this species in particular is easily identifiable and thereby, you can predict their adult size unlike some of the others. I don't particularly like the large ones myself. These guys though, I really like. They stay small, if you bounce them in your hand their spines don't stick in and they are not that strong. The big ole ones are strong and when you brush by them, you get a whole load of spines. Nasty. It's so hard to move rock around for aquascaping if you have the big ones like the Eurythoe complanata. I know... I know... live and let live, but I don't like them

I talk about some of the differences here...

http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhiker/linopherus.shtml

 

[Benedetto84]

No, you're correct, it is a bristleworm. It's just that this species in particular is easily identifiable and thereby, you can predict their adult size unlike some of the others. I don't particularly like the large ones myself. These guys though, I really like. They stay small, if you bounce them in your hand their spines don't stick in and they are not that strong. The big ole ones are strong and when you brush by them, you get a whole load of spines. Nasty. It's so hard to move rock around for aquascaping if you have the big ones like the Eurythoe complanata. I know... I know... live and let live, but I don't like them

I talk about some of the differences here...

http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhiker/linopherus.shtml

Thanks for all your help. I'm super new to this, started about two months ago. This was in my little nano 5 gallon. I always see you posting in other people's threads and it's great seeing someone with a lot of knowledge, to help people out! Once again thanks

 

[Salty1962]

It's good you have the small ones, I had some in my previous 90G that were 13" long I always wear gloves when moving stuff around, tired of all the blisters

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Those big ones are nasty.