Pretty sure I caught a fireworm

Reefing102 · Oct 30, 2021

Caught this guy eating my brown/green rhondactis. You can see where I pinched him with tweezers in the middle

maleks.reef · Oct 30, 2021

nasty worm

homer1475 · Oct 30, 2021

Sure looks like one to me, But I'm certainly not a worm expert.

I'm assuming it hitchhiked in on some LR?

Gtinnel · Oct 30, 2021

Looks like it to me too

Gtinnel · Oct 30, 2021

Awesome close up pics of the head.

Reefing102 · Oct 30, 2021

Likely from my KP Aquatics Rock. Just glad he was dumb enough to be munching during the day. I’m not upset, he’s the first bad hitchhiker I’ve gotten besides the initial crabs that I caught

Rick's Reviews · Oct 30, 2021

Am I right in saying bristle worm are more leggy legs and fireworm is more fluffy legs? Just for info please

homer1475 · Oct 30, 2021

The red bristles are usually a dead give away. Where normal bristle worms are white.

Reefing102 · Oct 30, 2021

Also thanks for the quick responses. He’s been tossed outside.

I could be wrong, but in my experience, the common bristleworm doesn’t usually have the red tendrils surrounding the bristles (not sure if that’s the right term)

vetteguy53081 · Oct 30, 2021

It is- get rid of and do not handle with bare hands- Use:
grabbers
net
trap

Midrats · Oct 30, 2021

I have dozens of pencil-sized ones in my tank that is stocked with KP rock. I've never seen them bother a thing, excellent CUC in fact.

Rick's Reviews · Oct 30, 2021

Midrats said:
I have dozens of pencil-sized ones in my tank that is stocked with KP rock. I've never seen them bother a thing, excellent CUC in fact.

What's KP rock

Gtinnel · Oct 30, 2021

homer1475 said:
The red bristles are usually a dead give away. Where normal bristle worms are white.

There are harmless worms that can have the red that are technically fireworms, but they are not the bearded fireworm (Hermodice carunculata) that everyone refers to when they say foreworm.

The most reliable way to ID a bearded firworm is from the distinctive caruncle on it head.

Midrats · Oct 30, 2021

Rick's Reviews said:
What's KP rock

KP Aquatics Florida live rock.

Reefing102 · Oct 30, 2021

Rick's Reviews said:
What's KP rock

It’s KP Aquatics. They are a live rock rock aquaculturists in the Florida keys. It’s live rock collected from the ocean after being placed in the ocean a few years ago (up to 20+ years)