What kind of worm is this?

[reeferkeifer]

Found this guy crawling around some rock and he grabbed a piece of old food on the gravel. I can't tell how long he is but I'm guessing no more than 2". Is he a bristle worm or fire worm?

>

class="gc-images" title="ImageUploadedByTapatalk1443143143.839227.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:400px" /></a>

>

class="gc-images" title="ImageUploadedByTapatalk1443143161.573103.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:400px" /></a>

 

[jeffmuse]

Looks like a bristle worm to me.

 

[myreefclub0070]

I second the bristle of the worm.

 

[raz0945]

+1

jeffmuse;1052403 wrote: looks like a bristle worm to me.

 

[nickg]

Yepppers.

 

[reeferkeifer]

Right on. Correct me if I'm wrong but Bristle Worms are not bad. They are like earth worms. The Fire Worms are what I have to watch out for and those are much bigger and red.

 

[myreefclub0070]

ReeferKeifer;1052437 wrote: Right on. Correct me if I'm wrong but Bristle Worms are not bad. They are like earth worms. The Fire Worms are what I have to watch out for and those are much bigger and red.

Totally safe, good clean up crew, they can get in the smallest of space to eat waste.
They can get big so I pull out a the big ones when ever I fined them cause I know there is lots in the tank.

 

[bcavalli]

They are a great member of the cleanup crew unless, they get big like this one.

 

[reeferkeifer]

Ahhhh! Godzirra! I'm laughing that is so nasty.

 

[jennm]

The only significant difference between a bristleworm and a fire worm is the potency of the sting. Both are good cleaner-uppers, and both are harmless to most living things in your tank.

You don't want to touch either one - their bristles will irritate your skin. The fireworm's sting is much more uncomfortable.

The only thing I've seen bristleworms take down that was alive and healthy, was DWARF seahorses (the kind that are only a maximum of 1/4" long). I once saw a worm pluck one right off its holdfast. Other than that they won't bother healthy fishes or corals or inverts.

Jenn