Bristle worm?

[Danielbdn]

I was checking my tank after the lights went off and noticed something walking (not crawling) across the sand bed in my tank it had lots of legs and a long pointed head. It looks like an insect to me like a centipede or something not really what I would call a worm. I'd say it was about 3/4in. long.

 

[Elykreefs97]

Take it out. But USE A NET you don't want to get stuck by a bristle worm it hurts very bad.

 

[okapizebra]

Yep, looks like a bristleworm to me. I'd just let it be, they are a good addition to your CUC.

 

[Crystal A]

+1 to that leave it be.

 

[MacDracor]

Bristle worms are by far the most beneficial organism you can have in your tank. Don't take it out, be happy you have them!
I really don't get what some people have against these guys. They keep your tank healthy and clean, don't hurt anything, and are all around cool.

 

[Danielbdn]

Thanks, I had heard of them but thought they would be more wormlike.

 

[MacDracor]

They come in all shapes and sizes. From near microscopic to multiple feet long. Some have tiny bristles, some huge tufts of them. And some have big feathery extensions and live in tubes. We call those ones feather dusters, but they are also bristle worms. It's a very diverse group and I only personally know of three species that are potentially harmful to our tanks and they aren't particularly common.

 

[Danielbdn]

They come in all shapes and sizes. From near microscopic to multiple feet long. Some have tiny bristles, some huge tufts of them. And some have big feathery extensions and live in tubes. We call those ones feather dusters, but they are also bristle worms. It's a very diverse group and I only personally know of three species that are potentially harmful to our tanks and they aren't particularly common.

Thanks for the info. I feel better now. It kind of freaked me out last night when I saw it, wasn't expecting to see something running across my sand bed like that.

 

[MacDracor]

Hey, you're not alone in seeing things run across the sand unexpectedly. Someone on here saw a spider! Like seriously, a common brown house spider, in her tank running around like it was at home under water.

 

[Crystal A]

I remember that!

 

[mr_X]

I was checking my tank after the lights went off and noticed something walking (not crawling) across the sand bed in my tank it had lots of legs and a long pointed head. It looks like an insect to me like a centipede or something not really what I would call a worm. I'd say it was about 3/4in. long.

Are you sure these were legs and not spines? If it was actually using them to move and they were moving independently, It could have been a carnivore called Oenone Fulgida. Whatever it was, it appeared to be eating that dying coral in the picture.

 

[Danielbdn]

Are you sure these were legs and not spines? If it was actually using them to move and they were moving independently, It could have been a carnivore called Oenone Fulgida. Whatever it was, it appeared to be eating that dying coral in the picture.

It looked like it was using legs to walk/run across the sand bed. It was on the other side of the tank when I saw it using my red beam flashlight. By the time I got my camera and took the pic it was on the other side heading behind some rock. It didn't touch the coral that I saw went right past it. Do you think the coral is dying? I thought it was doing good but I'm new to salt water. Here is a pic under the T5's. thanks for your help.

 

[mr_X]

The first pictures you posted showed the mouth gaping open and the flesh all shriveled. the second picture looks a bit better, though I can't make out of the mouth is wide open or not. If so, It's definitely not happy.

 

[Danielbdn]

The first pictures you posted showed the mouth gaping open and the flesh all shriveled. the second picture looks a bit better, though I can't make out of the mouth is wide open or not. If so, It's definitely not happy.

Yeah it looks better than it did when I bought it. I try to feed it shrimp every three days after the lights have been off for a while so the fish don't steal the food. I can't tell if he ever eats it or if the hermits get it.

 

[mr_X]

Does it take the food in? I would want to know if I was wasting my time and water quality or not.

 

[Danielbdn]

I think it does although it never has closes it's mouth up like my plate coral did. I used to think my LFS sold me a painted rock because it never changed like my plate did, but now at night when the lights are off it will inflate around the outside not the mouth though. My water parameters are
pH - 8.0
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 25ppm
Salinity - 35 (1.026)
Temp 80.1
KH - 180
Alk - 10
Cal - 440
Phos - .15
Mag - 1,440ppm
I do weekly 10gal water changes in a 56 gal tank all my fish and the rest of my corals are doing fine except my clove polyps being eaten by my Foxface and the (reef safe) orange starfish that ate all four purple mushrooms that I had.

 

[mr_X]

If it's not closing it's mouth I would be concerned. From the pics, i would say it was failing and now is starting to recover. Do you see any flesh missing from around the mouth area?

 

[Danielbdn]

If it's not closing it's mouth I would be concerned. From the pics, i would say it was failing and now is starting to recover. Do you see any flesh missing from around the mouth area?

I guess the mouth area is just a slit down the middle never closes all the way up like my plate did. I have had it about 6 or 7 weeks and the first 4 or so it didn't ever change at all that's why I joked with my wife that it was just a rock that they painted and sold as a coral. But now at night it inflates a little and the mouth area isn't as wide at night. I'm hoping it is getting healthier, the LFS I got it from had it at the very top of the tank and may have hurt it.

 

[mr_X]

That's possible. They aren't high light corals.

 

[Danielbdn]

Thanks for the help mr_X I really appreciate it.