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Bristle Worm ?

S

sinkingbeach

Pretty sure it is but didn't realize they were so big.

233_07_02_08_11_15_17_0.jpg


Size perspective=index finger although in this pic he seems smaller as he was stretching around the rock.

233_07_02_08_11_15_17_1.jpg
 
Phyl

Phyl

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Looks like a bristle to me too. I've had them that size, though the big ones are long gone.
 
MikeNapoli

MikeNapoli

I have one that size now ... I added an Arrow crab to take care of it but he seems to like Rod's Food so I don't think he's motivated. ::)
 
M

mr_X

i highly doubt an arrow crab or coral banded will eat one that size. they are best suited keeping the small ones' numbers down. actually, if you feed your tank like i feed mine, your cb and arrow crab won't even touch the worms, because of the abundance of easier food sources, not to mention the bristleworm population will sky rocket.

i don't know why people are so bothered by them. do you get bothered by earthworms when you see them? these are just cousins of the earthworm that actually are a free cleanup crew for your tank.
it seems to me that all LFS's have to do is market them better- "live rock 3.99 a pound...buy 5 pounds, get a free cleanup crew!"
;D
 
Hawkeye

Hawkeye

"why do people not like bristleworms?"

easy...most people think they are ugly!

Also - some species in aquariums have been known to grow VERY large...I recall reading an article by dr. shimek (who loves em btw) - and his biggie broke into 3 parts when trying to get it out...I think it was several feet in length...

btw - you've got 3 spirorbid worms on the front glass there...nothing bad - just a pain to scrape off.

EDIT: found the article (4 ft long eunice worm): The Large Worm Turns…
 
J

JerseyWendy

Funny you posted that, Francis, because last night I yanked a one footer out of my tank. :eek: I don't mind them a bit, to me they're pretty and not ugly, but a one footer was a bit too much for me, so he had to go.

---
Wendy
 
H

hayabusa2003

wrasses are suppose to be natural predators of worms, but if you're taking bets on a 6-line versus a 1ft+ brisltworm, my money is on the bristleworm.

I have a few giant bristworms lurking in my 75gal. I wanted to use them as an excuse to put in a harlequin tusk ... but he'd probably eat all my shrimps instead..
 
M

mr_X

phil519 said:
"why do people not like bristleworms?"

easy...most people think they are ugly!

Also - some species in aquariums have been known to grow VERY large...I recall reading an article by dr. shimek (who loves em btw) - and his biggie broke into 3 parts when trying to get it out...I think it was several feet in length...

btw - you've got 3 spirorbid worms on the front glass there...nothing bad - just a pain to scrape off.

EDIT: found the article (4 ft long eunice worm): The Large Worm Turns…
Click to expand...
and you think snails are beautiful? meanwhile, bristleworms are more beneficial than snails.
bristleworms----the common ones pictured above, do not get 4 feet long. now, are you speaking of any Polychaete worms? there are many i wouldn't want in my tank for different reasons, but not the one pictured.
 
K

KennyZush

I have heard that they can harm clams if they get hungry, but I have not witnessed it. I have several rather large ones 12"+
I have tried catching them in a water bottle trap but they are so big they do not need to go all the way in to get the bait!

Kenny Z.
 
R

Rehype

I love my bristleworms. I actually have one that exclusively eats algae. Heres some pics i was finally able to get. Hes eating algage that was going to overtake this small monticap frag. His efforts has helped in this frags recovery.

sps042.jpg[img]
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb254/Rehype/sps046.jpg[/img]
 
R

Rehype

Rehype said:
I love my bristleworms. I actually have one that exclusively eats algae. Heres some pics i was finally able to get. Hes eating algage that was going to overtake this small monticap frag. His efforts has helped in this frags recovery.

sps042.jpg

sps046.jpg
Click to expand...
 
S

sinkingbeach

I wasn't complaining about it, just wanted to confirm my suspicion as to what it was, I have read alot about them and agree they are beneficial to a reef.
 
Hawkeye

Hawkeye

mr_X said:
and you think snails are beautiful? meanwhile, bristleworms are more beneficial than snails.
bristleworms----the common ones pictured above, do not get 4 feet long. now, are you speaking of any Polychaete worms? there are many i wouldn't want in my tank for different reasons, but not the one pictured.
Click to expand...

oh I don't think they are ugly - (my wife does tho!)

Hmm - I'm confused by your reply tho- aren't polychaete worm's referred to as bristle worms also? Anyways - here's a smallish one that I grabbed out because it was Ugly with a capital U. ;) It didn't help that I caught it out in the open (daylight)...indicating to me he was more likely hunter rather than scavenger...
bristle2.jpg
 
H

harryk

Well if it makes anyone feel any better when i first started my tank and bought live rock straight from Fiji. i actually had a eunacid worm that was about 12" long that hitchhiked in. Now that was one ugly worm. It took me a while to get it out. It seriously creeped me out.
 
M

mr_X

i got a deal on some live rock from a LFS going out of business, and they gave me a mollusk eating Oenone fulgida. i had to keep him busy with snails so he didn't try for my clams, until one day i caught him head first in a turbo snail shell ;)
 
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