What the worm?

[SQM]

Hello,
I have a 30 gallon FOWLR tank. I've been having issues for months since I got fish from a new store (impulse buying is my bad, i know). I've lost a sandshifter star, two clowns, a Pink Dottyback, and CurlyQ. The first thing to die was a mandarian Goby, i think the culprit This morning it appears like my chocolate chip starfish was the latest victim. When i lifted him i saw movement.

Any idea what this is?? And how I can kill them (Assuming them are more)
Thanks for any help
SMQ

 

[cloak]

It's just a harmless bristle worm. These are a great part of your clean up crew.

http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhikers-guide/

 

[TheEngineer]

It's just a harmless bristle worm. These are a great part of your clean up crew.

http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhikers-guide/

+1

 

[SQM]

Glad I did not flush him, thanks. Still no clue what's taking down all my fishies then

 

[TheEngineer]

Any spots on the fish? What are your tank parameters?

 

[Tahoe61]

Since inverts are dying as well as fish, you should probably post a run down on your water chemistry and an image of any fish showing physical signs of disease. The bristle worm is just cleaning up, avoid handling but other wise imo they are good guys.

 

[SQM]

Just tested. Salinity 1.025, pH 8.1, slight nitrate reading (not fully zero), ammonia 0. I an vigilant when I see a fish dying to scope them fast.
Sadly the fish look healthy, no spots, no stringy stuff, swimming fine (till they seem to settle on the bottom of the tank and croak). The CurlyQ just stopped eating and shriveled up.
Live rock looks healthy, snails are breeding, two green chromis swimming and eating

 

[Bunnee911]

I always like to throw in a Poly Pad when things go wrong. Then, after a day tell us the color. I use them for a cheap test.

 

[SQM]

I'll get one tomorrow

 

[SQM]

Okay, polypad in for about 36 hours, i can see a SLIGHT darken at the center, but very little color change now off white

 

[Ksturg]

As stated the bristleworms are a good clean up crew but if you don't know about them they multiply very quickly. If you have one you definitely have more. Personally I try to get rid of them my last tank I had thousands of them I ended up tearing down the tank because of them.

 

[TheEngineer]

As stated the bristleworms are a good clean up crew but if you don't know about them they multiply very quickly. If you have one you definitely have more. Personally I try to get rid of them my last tank I had thousands of them I ended up tearing down the tank because of them.

Their population grows to support the level of available food. Did you feed your tank heavily?

 

[Ksturg]

Their population grows to support the level of available food. Did you feed your tank heavily?

When I had mine I did not feed heavily in fact I feed my fish the bare minimum for awhile to try to get rid of them. The live rock I had I believe had a infestation of them. I had some that were pencil sized.

 

[Tahoe61]

There appears to be decoration type of pot in the last images. Is that decoration SW safe? Certain decorations are not SW safe and can leach toxins or metals into a system. This can lead to the death of invertebrates.

And agree with TheEngineer, bristleworm populations numbers are dictated by an available food source. Reduce the food source and the population eventually declines. Bristleworms creep some out, but they can be controlled easily without tearing down a system.

 

[TheEngineer]

When I had mine I did not feed heavily in fact I feed my fish the bare minimum for awhile to try to get rid of them. The live rock I had I believe had a infestation of them. I had some that were pencil sized.

Pencil sized!? That's a chunky monkey of a bristle worm!

 

[Ksturg]

I had some that were huge! I wish I had some pics but that was 8 + years ago. I battled them for a long long time and just decided it was time for a change they beat me up. But now I decided to start again and am doing it and am gonna keep them out! I hate them soooooo much

 

[GoFish]

Can you confirm whether that worm has "bristles" for feet or "legs"? There is a predatory worm that looks very similar to a bristle worm that has the capability of taking out fish and inverts called an Oenone Fulgida (which has legs).

 

[SQM]

No legs on mine.