What is this frightening critter?

[yourmom]

 

[Purkey Pets]

Bristleworm

 

[Rp8]

+1 BRISTLEWORM

 

[Jeffcb]

Bristle!. Nice big fat one.

 

[Arthacker87]

I thought Bobbitt at first

 

[Soren]

Probably a Bristle Worm.

 

[Soren]

I thought Bobbitt at first

I though Bobbitt as well, but the side appendages appear more like bristles rather than individual "legs" that Bobbitts seem to have... but it is hard to tell.
The segments also appear a bit more like those on a bristle worm.

 

[yourmom]

Bristle!. Nice big fat one.

It terrifies me. Is this thing a friend or foe?

 

[Jeffcb]

Depends on what you have . Probably foe. Don't cut it in half or you will have 2.

 

[yourmom]

Depends on what you have . Probably foe. Don't cut it in half or you will have 2.

****. Just googled it and it said good so I let it loose.

 

[Jeffcb]

****. Just googled it and it said good so I let it loose.

From your pic it looks like it just had S Car Go for dinner.

 

[Soren]

****. Just googled it and it said good so I let it loose.

I've read that bristle worms, though frightening in appearance, are usually considered good in reef tanks. They can get large (12" or longer), though most are usually much smaller.
...now if it was a Bobbitt worm, I would not be interested. They can grow to be several feet long and ambush fish.

 

[yourmom]

I've read that bristle worms, though frightening in appearance, are usually considered good in reef tanks. They can get large (12" or longer), though most are usually much smaller.
...now if it was a Bobbitt worm, I would not be interested. They can grow to be several feet long and ambush fish.

I’m literally sick to my stomach. I hope I didn’t just *** up my tank.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Nope- Dorvillidae worm which is a cousin to the Bristleworm and has a sticky body allowing it to climb glass. It almost exclusively eats algae. Considered reef safe and a member of classification of clean up crew

 

[yourmom]

Nope- Dorvillidae worm which is a cousin to the Bristleworm and has a sticky body allowing it to climb glass. It almost exclusively eats algae. Considered reef safe and a member of classification of clean up crew

I REALLY hope you are right!!

 

[vetteguy53081]

I REALLY hope you are right!!

After viewing my messages now on a desktop than phone- all others correct on bristleworm, also harmless although theyre not welcomed in my tanks. I agree they can be ugly little creatures. I’m pretty sure we’re genetically programmed to be creeped out by millipede-looking creatures but also know that they dig through the muck, gunk, and detritus in our tanks and eat the stuff that is rotting away and spoiling the water quality. Their preferred food is food waste, biological waste, even the rotting carcass of that missing fish you haven’t seen for a few days.

 

[yourmom]

After viewing my messages now on a desktop than phone- all others correct on bristleworm, also harmless although theyre not welcomed in my tanks. I agree they can be ugly little creatures. I’m pretty sure we’re genetically programmed to be creeped out by millipede-looking creatures but also know that they dig through the muck, gunk, and detritus in our tanks and eat the stuff that is rotting away and spoiling the water quality. Their preferred food is food waste, biological waste, even the rotting carcass of that missing fish you haven’t seen for a few days.

Thank you, I was planning to throw him out but I dropped him in before sufficiently researching. Should have listened to my intuition and set the scary thing on fire!

 

[ReefSapper]

I was terrified the first time i saw one, it was shortly after my first tank that i started with live rock. That tank was a tiny 6 gallon nano and when that worm came out and started searching the rockwork...and kept coming out...and coming out more i lost my mind. My wife thought i was having a heart attack lol. I've come to not mind them although if i can go without i will, no need to stress, they are ultimately beneficial, just a bit scary looking.

 

[Auquanut]

Depending on the size of your tank, there are several wrasses that will eat them and keep the population down in your tank. The sump is another matter.

 

[saltcats]

Nope- Dorvillidae worm which is a cousin to the Bristleworm and has a sticky body allowing it to climb glass. It almost exclusively eats algae. Considered reef safe and a member of classification of clean up crew

So a bristleworm can't climb glass at all? I assumed the little worm I saw yesterday was a bristle but it was halfway up the side...