What are these worms are these good or bad?

[FreshSaltyGuy]

Hello, I was getting ready to put this Fiji live rock in my new tank setup and notice these on the rock....any ideas what are these worm looking things are the good/bad?

 

[JoJosReef]

Bristleworms, perhaps? @vetteguy53081

I don't think they would be out like that if they were Eunice worms or Dorvillidae. The former especially would retreat into the rock.

Maybe put it into a QT tank with a bottle trap? Or let an arrow crab have a field day with it.

 

[Rick's Reviews]

I could only guess.
I will leave it to the experts here

Following

 

[FreshSaltyGuy]

Really want to know that I can put it in my tank if they are beneficial. If not then what do I do lol

 

[Pure Fishigan]

I personally wouldn’t introduce bristle worms they suck even though people claim they are good CUC I hated seeing them all over the place and was not willing to reach my hands near the rocks when i had them In my biocube

 

[Sharkbait19]

Can you get a shot of the mouth in any of them?
They look like bristleworms, which are harmless, but there is a possibility of eunices that I want to rule out.

 

[LuizW13]

Oh my goodness dude! I would personally try to get ride of as many of those bristleworms as possible.

I have a few that I know of in my tank, but they are not even close to as big as those you're showing. Ahhhhhhhhhh

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello, I was getting ready to put this Fiji live rock in my new tank setup and notice these on the rock....any ideas what are these worm looking things are the good/bad?

Bristle worms no doubt

 

[FreshSaltyGuy]

G

Good/bad? I have hundreds and some good size ones too. I'm sick to ny stomach don't knkw what to do?

 

[Sharkbait19]

They aren’t harmful - just can be unsightly.
Plenty of inverts will eat them. My pistol shrimp made short work of them.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

What is that!! A R2R guide to common new tank hitchhikers.

One of the greatest things about starting a reef tank is getting your live rock in and admiring all the diversity within it. The rock comes to life different creatures. This is a guide that I, along with a very well known critter identifier @KJ , have put together for the new reefer on what...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[WheatToast]

Can you get a shot of the mouth in any of them?
They look like bristleworms, which are harmless, but there is a possibility of eunices that I want to rule out.

+1. My guess is bristleworms as well. Underwater pictures will help with an ID since many of these invertebrates loose their form out of the water.

 

[w8lifts]

Just pulled this bristle worm from my tank today as well, and I started with dead rock.

 

[Bucs20fan]

100% bristle worms, only harm they can do is to you if you touch em, I have a ton in my tank, only see em at night or if my pistol wants a snack.

 

[SaltyT]

Hello, I was getting ready to put this Fiji live rock in my new tank setup and notice these on the rock....any ideas what are these worm looking things are the good/bad?

Yikes I recommend that you wear gloves when handling those rocks, that's a lot of bristles that you could touch!

 

[JoJosReef]

100% bristle worms, only harm they can do is to you if you touch em, I have a ton in my tank, only see em at night or if my pistol wants a snack.

Ever heard of a pistol eating a eunice worm have you? Wish I could find a natural predator for those nightmares.

I would QT those rocks and bottle trap all of those worms. Get some spaghetti worms for CUC!

 

[Bucs20fan]

Ever heard of a pistol eating a eunice worm have you? Wish I could find a natural predator for those nightmares.

I would QT those rocks and bottle trap all of those worms. Get some spaghetti worms for CUC!

Ive heard of arrow crabs eating the non bobbit ones. I think eunice mostly stay in structure versus out and about like bristles, which makes them easy prey for a pistol.

 

[JoJosReef]

Ive heard of arrow crabs eating the non bobbit ones. I think eunice mostly stay in structure versus out and about like bristles, which makes them easy prey for a pistol.

That's true, which is why I think OP's got bristles and not eunice or dorvillidae. Those, especially the eunice worms retract back into their holes lightning fast at the first sign of movement.

I've thought about an arrow crab but worried it might bother other inhabitants.

 

[D3DPrintedThingz]

I'm just impressed you are grabbing that rock with your bare hands. Remember a good rule of thumb in this hobby is if you don't know what it is do not touch it. lol

 

[Bucs20fan]

That's true, which is why I think OP's got bristles and not eunice or dorvillidae. Those, especially the eunice worms retract back into their holes lightning fast at the first sign of movement.

I've thought about an arrow crab but worried it might bother other inhabitants.

Arrows are opportunistic, they will try and eat small fish. They are generally 70/30 as reef safe as they prefer to eat live worms/ critters.