Pinkish Bristle-Worm sighted

Not dangerous, actually good to have for cleaning and aerating (sp) the substrate. I have quite a few in my tank, one very large ... about1/2 inch thick and a good5 inches or more in length. The only thing with them is that they can make you itch like crazy if you touch them.
 
There are a few species that can attack snails or corals, but most are fine. Problem is, one has to pickle them and send them to the pros to be sure. Is it really fuzzy?
 
Hey, that link didn't work :(

I have, for sure, two bristle worms in my tank. One is redish and small... but today I saw all of the "big one" aka "the serpent" of my tank. I notcied him a month ago when I added stuff in the tank, hitchiker, He ate a frozen piece of brine shrimp that my anemone let go of... it reached about 4" out of a hole to get the shrimp. I bought two blennys the week before that and theres only one now... since the 3rd day just never saw the second blenny. I know that the bristle worms eat dead things but I don't know why a blenny would have died. Also I bought a linkia star which seemed to be eatn' at after crawling around the rocks, though oriongirl calmed me down and explained how acclimating the stars into the stores often make them sick which I would have LITTLE control over, but this morning the bristle worm went around a rock and I promise it is about 1' long... 12 inches... I've seen ones that are like 3" in a huge display tank at a local restruant, but this is a HUGE THING. I honestly considered it to have eatn' my blenny just becasue of how big it is??? But my other blenny is fine so I don't know whats up. I know they eat dead things and are OK for a tank but that link didn't work and I don' tknow how to describe mine, its really fuzzy looking... and its deffinetly a 10 on the creepy scale. I'd rather it not be in my tank but theres no way I can catch it. I just need to know if its going to go after coral or snails, like mogurnda mentioned.... this worm hasn't come out of the shade and almost never comes out more than 3inches... it took a month to see it in its full lengh!!!! EEEEEEK! Any advice? I could be more discriptive if I knew different types to compare it too :-/
 
To: wastememphis

If you really want this beast out of your tank, you might try trapping it. I have seen bristle worm traps for sale at various LFS. They (the traps) amount to a funnel on a bottle with spikes to prevent exit, and are baited with a chunk 'o meat.

At the size you describe, I might be afraid to stick my own hand in the tank :sick:
 
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I saw the worm in wastememphis' tank and its a monster!!! Its honestly like a foot long and I refuse to stick my hand in the tank because im afraid it will try to get me!
 
heheh

apparently those bristles hurt like a nasty nasty bee sting and are haard to get out without breaking and getting into your blood stream to then make its way to your heart.

cut it with a knife, IMO. or use a trap.

**** bristle worms getting so big, who do they think they are? :mad:
 
;) I'm not sure if I should post this or not!

A member of ReefCentral had a large (think it was about 200 g) tank, tons of corals, etc. Lovely setup. He used PVC to build a series of shelves to support all the corals. Well, after several years, he started having corals dying off--he'd check first thing in the morning, and half a coral would be gone. Started watching the tank at night to figure out who the munching culpirt was...And discovered a bristle worm that was using the PVC as it's own personal snack bar. It stayed mostly within the tubing, but would poke out and consume a coral or two at night. The guy tore the tank completely down, and pulled the worm out of the PVC. Total length was around 7 feet (yes, 7 FEET--there were pictures to back this claim up). The durned thing ate about $400 in corals before being removed. He kept it in a 5 gallon bucket--alive--for about a week before it finally died.

So--moral of the story? Little guys that will get full from normal wastes are okay. If they start getting big enough to make you uncomfortable, remove it. I'm okay with them up to about 12 inches--past that, they get chopped up and fed to the fish.

If you do get spiked, soak the affected area in vinegar. This will dissolve the spines without breaking them. Treat the area with an anitbiotic for 2-3 days to prevent an infection.
 
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