Need Help! Bristleworm the size of...

[angus3102]

an earthworm or small snake (length wise). This thing is huge and I haven't seen how long he is totally.

The traps they sell have not worked, only removing small ones. I have no clue where this guy came from because I do dip new corals. Must have been in the live rock when I first bought it last year.

The problem is the bristleworm's hole is in the very back and the very bottom of the tank. Chemical treatment, insider trap secrets??

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[LorenK]

Is he bothering anything? The are great scavangers.

 

[angus3102]

I have never seen him anywhere but coming out of his hole and eating fish food scraps. all corals appear healthy and unattacked.

I do assume however, that it will be a problem as it keeps growing. Eventually it's appetite is going to be unstoppable, if not already.

 

[cardgenius]

I believe there are only a few bristle worms that will actually eat coral. Most are scavengers that come out at night to eat detrius and other particals that settle around there home. I would leave him, if anything hes helping your tank stay clean.

 

[angus3102]

never heard someone be so positive about a bristleworm. I should just trade him in for a small eel, since they are close to the same size.

 

[Pitcom]

keep it. Most bristleworms are good. They eat detritus and leftover fish food, which makes them a good part of the tank crew. You probably have others in your tank that you've never seen.

 

[gflat65]

Most bristleworms are very beneficial to the tank. Eunicid worms, no the other hand, can create issues. It's a scary thing to be digging your fingers aroundin the sand when moving a tank and feel something snakelike move, or reach for a rock and feel it... How big around is it?

 

[Pitcom]

http://www.oregonreef.com/sub_worm.htm

 

[angus3102]

It isn't that big around at all. Hard to say but pretty flat and not thick at all.

If I could get a picture I would but that is pretty much impossible. I will try tonight.

 

[Azurel]

The worm in that link is a Bobbitt worm or also called Eucinid worm, those must be removed as they like to eat soft coral......I have no bristle worms in my tank unfortunately, I had a Red head elegant pseudochromis that ate all of them and I have not added anything that has had them in it like new live rock etc.....Hard to believe I know but I have not seen one during the day or night. I also re-aquascaped my tank and found none.....If it is in fact a bristleworm I would not worry to much....

 

[gflat65]

Eunicids like to munch on small fishes, too. The first pair I found was helping a friend move his tank in college (10 years ago-man time flies...). He'd lost 7 small fish in about 4 months and couldn't explain it. They were healthy and feeding for weeks, then just disappeared one night (not all at once).

If it is thin, it's likely just a big beneficial bristleworm. Fireworms (look like bigger bristleworm, but have more color and are quite a bit bigger than most bristleworms) get yanked when I find them, but that is because they get pretty big and if I touch them, I feel it for days. They put some pretty long bristles in you...