what is this red worm thing??? and im new to salt!

[hotpod]

ok so i set up my extra 20 gallon tank and changed it to salt. i have a clown fish and about 11 pounds of live rock...well we were admiring our pieces of perfect rock that i picked out today and noticed 2 red worm things and it looks like they have little legs...what are they? and are they harmful? and i got a blue crab and a red leg crab...which came with the rock becuase she couldnt get them out of the holes...so i got a few crabs for free! i just hope they make it through the cycle. anyway what are the worm things? should i be worried??? oh and i should mention that the live rock have been in the privatley owned store tanks for about....9 months...so they were doing very good. i think they may have been in there for even a litttle longer...who knows. anyway what are they???? any suggestions? i have some mushroom and pulp looking things growing on it...i thought those needed strong currents? do i need to get a power head? i work at petco so this is my first saltwater attempt...i have 5 55 gallon freshwater tanks so if you have any suggestions it helps if you compare something to freshwater...i have been keeping those for a few years now...so anyway let me know what the worm things are and do i need a powerhead? ill be getting a 55 gallon soon for hundred bucks...and im pretty sure im going to set up another salt water tank with corals as well...so let me know!!! i need advice!

p.s. thanks to all of you have made me so knowledgeable on fish keeping, without i wouldnt be able to answer so many questions at work...i find myself often times quoting you all! so thanks again!


OHHHH and what salinity level do i keep it at????? for corals and fish????? thanks again!!!

[Reefscape]

ok so i set up my extra 20 gallon tank and changed it to salt. i have a clown fish and about 11 pounds of live rock...well we were admiring our pieces of perfect rock that i picked out today and noticed 2 red worm things and it looks like they have little legs...what are they?and are they harmful?

<<Can you be a little more descriptive on the worm? Is it segmented? does it have tentacles et cetra.. >>

and i got a blue crab and a red leg crab...which came with the rock becuase she couldnt get them out of the holes...so i got a few crabs for free! i just hope they make it through the cycle. anyway what are the worm things? should i be worried??? oh and i should mention that the live rock have been in the privatley owned store tanks for about....9 months...so they were doing very good. i think they may have been in there for even a litttle longer...who knows. anyway what are they???? any suggestions? i have some mushroom and pulp looking things growing on it...i thought those needed strong currents? do i need to get a power head?

<<The ammount of current needed by a coral all depends on the type, as they all have different needs...Mushrooms, and basic polyps are ok in low to medium flow. In a tank your size, you need about 500 gph water circulation, so, if you dont have powerheads in there, nows the time to add them>>

i work at petco so this is my first saltwater attempt...i have 5 55 gallon freshwater tanks so if you have any suggestions it helps if you compare something to freshwater...i have been keeping those for a few years now...so anyway let me know what the worm things are and do i need a powerhead?

<<Cant really compare a FW system to a SW as they are quite different in needs et cetra. Answered above about powerhead and worm.>>

ill be getting a 55 gallon soon for hundred bucks...and im pretty sure im going to set up another salt water tank with corals as well...so let me know!!! i need advice!

<<When the time arrives, start yourself a new thread and ask plenty of questions about setting it up. We'll all do our best to answer any queries you may have>>

p.s. thanks to all of you have made me so knowledgeable on fish keeping, without i wouldnt be able to answer so many questions at work...i find myself often times quoting you all! so thanks again!


OHHHH and what salinity level do i keep it at????? for corals and fish????? thanks again!!!

<<Average salinity should be about 35...or 1.023 to 1.025>>



Added some comments above in red... :)

[hotpod]

that was very very helpful!!! thank you! i googled the worm thing...and found a pic of what is in my tank...it is a juvenille bristle worm...is it good or bad? should i take it out? ill get the powerheads pronto!!! will one be ok? again thank you sooooooo much you just answered some awesome questions for me! thanks for helping me out!

[mailman37]

Bristleworms aren't bad there good they clean the sand and eat eat any left over food that settles in the bottom if you see to many it means that you're feeding to much but a couple are always helpful

[hotpod]

oh sorry one more question!!!! im ordering my powerhead from big als online right now...and some prime. but where should i point my powerhead once i get it??? im going to get the 400 gph one. will that cover it?