Fireworm?

[LgTas]

As the post says... is this a fireworm or really large bristle worm? If it is a fireworm is it the bad one (bearded)?

Trying to decide if I should get it out or not. Seems to be mixed feedback on how bad they are.

 

[LgTas]

Just to add, it appears to have excavated a cave under the rock it's coming out of

 

[ChiCity]

that’s definitely a fireworm!

 

[LgTas]

that’s definitely a fireworm!

Thanks! Any idea if it's a predatory one or should I just remove to be safe?

 

[LgTas]

So fireworm saga continues. I made up two traps and baited them with mackerel. Aside from tiger conch and white glove shrimp doing everything they can to get in, I've had no interest from the fireworms. I see them at night (at least two) and the one is pretty large (3 to 4 inches).

I have an orchid dottyback. Would he eat the largest of the fireworms? He sleeps in his little bolt hole at night which is when the worms are most active. Any other suggestions other than tearing my rock work apart to get at them?

 

[Ghost25]

You definitely want it out. I found one going to town on one of my zoas. Your dottyback wont eat it. Sorry I don't have better advice than to watch the tank after lights out and see if you can grab him. Some people have had luck with traps but I've never tried.

 

[Sharkbait19]

It's not even necessarily their direct threat to corals. They're often found to have the same diet as bristle worms. However, they have a much higher sting than bristle worms, thus making them a threat when brushing against corals and inverts. Be careful removing it. Touching it can and will hurt you.

 

[LgTas]

Managed to catch a couple in the sump... anyone able to give a definitive answer?

 

[LgTas]

 

[King_Acidic]

The smaller one appears to be the same thing I've been catching in my new tank. From the other images I've seen on Google, they looked like bristle worms to me but I've been catching them as I can with a turkey baster to get them out. I caught 7 of them yesterday morning alone and the tank has only been up a week.

 

[N.Sreefer]

Kinda hard to tell through pics this is what the bad (bearded) fireworm looks like. It does kind of look like whats in the first 2 pictures.

 

[LgTas]

Thats quite a population growth rate. Did you use live rock?

 

[LgTas]

Kinda hard to tell through pics this is what the bad (bearded) fireworm looks like. It does kind of look like whats in the first 2 pictures.

Not sure if a video is any help

https://youtube.com/shorts/J5sdZuQPEIU?feature=share

 

[Gtinnel]

To me they just look like Eurythoe complanata (which gets listed as a type of fireworm online but not the "bad" type). The easiest way to tell if it is a Hermodice carunculata (bearded fireworm) is to look at the head of the worm if it has a noticeable caruncle (the red, feathery looking thing you can see in the picture posted by @N.Sreefer ) then it's a bearded fireworm.

 

[LgTas]

I just had a close look at it and there is no noticeable caruncle. I also googled Hermodice carunculata images and mine look identical to them.

Thanks for finally clearing that up!

 

[IKD]

The bottom, smaller one is a bristle worm which are harmless detrivores and good cleanup crew
There are ‘fireworms’ types that are harmless also. Make sure it’s really a bad one. Hopefully a few other experts here can share thoughts.

 

[LgTas]

The bottom, smaller one is a bristle worm which are harmless detrivores and good cleanup crew
There are ‘fireworms’ types that are harmless also. Make sure it’s really a bad one. Hopefully a few other experts here can share thoughts.

@Gtinnel appears to have cleared it up. Luckily I had them in a container until properly confirmed. They're now back in my sump.