Worms?

[James7733]

Does anyone know what kind of tube worms have a very thin grey stock/,tube and white feathes.

They seem to breed fast and go all over the tank. Looking to find out what they are called and how to rid the system of these nutrient thief's?

 

[Pete polyp]

Bristleworms

 

[James7733]

Bristleworms

Is there a way to get rid of them?

 

[Pete polyp]

Arrow crabs.

I don't know why you want to get rid of them. They are beneficial and eat detritus

 

[Wiz]

What you described is not bristle worm. Its some type of feathrr duster. And I would still assume they are beneficial. But I'm sure there are plenty of things that will eat them. Arrow crab, wrasses, manderins, sand sifters. Probably almost any predator

 

[Mike628]

Post a picture, that would help clarify what your talking about. To me they are a nuisance but to others they are helpful. I know six line wrass and arrow crabs will eat the bristle worms.

 

[Pete polyp]

Oh, I missed the part that said they were tube worms. My apologies.

 

[Mike628]

Can we see a picture?

 

[Wiz]

Like these?

Featherduster WormsAn extremely common, small worm living in a tube. They are beneficial filter feeders that indicate a healthy reef. They will retract into the calciferous tube when startled featherduster WormsAn extremely common, small worm living in a tube. They are beneficial filter feeders that indicate a healthy reef. They will retract into the calciferous tube when startled.

 

[Mike628]

Lol thats pretty cool. I know you can buy them but do they also hitch hike into the tank?

 

[Ahruk]

Definitely, my boyfriend works at fish store and they come in on coral all the time

 

[Mike628]

Thats interesting I did not know that.

 

[Ahruk]

They're a lot smaller then the ones you see for sale like the tubes are an around an inch long and not very thick. They're really fun to watch. I have one in a jar that I have to sneak up on because he's really quick to close up if he notices me.

 

[Mike628]

They can see you?

 

[Ahruk]

To be honest, I don't know if they're light sensitive like clams or sensitive to vibrations (I walk really loudly ) but they are definitely responsive to something which is really neat I'd imagine its vibrations as I don't think they photosynthesize so I don't think they'd have any reason to have photo receptors.

 

[cloak]

Check these out.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-05/rs/

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/8/inverts

HTH.

 

[James7733]

Bristleworms

Nope not bristleworms. I know what they are!

 

[Ahruk]

What?

 

[NanaReefer]

Feather Duster Cluster (Duster Cluster) (Bispira brunnea)

 

[James7733]

Feather Duster Cluster (Duster Cluster) (Bispira brunnea)

Is there a known way of stopping them other than having to remove all the live rock and brush them off?