fireworm or britleworm?

[ntswift]

I know I need a picture to positively I.D. this but I can't get a good picture of it. The camera that I have doesnt take picture that well up close. Anyway here is my confusion, I've looked to see what fire worms look like and I know what bristleworms look like but this thing looks like both. It has a half red half black or dark color and then instead of bristles it has paintbrush looking things. I have a few of them crawling around in my LR and everytime I try to grab one they shoot back in. I tried looking at night to see if they come out any further and as soon as I put the lights on it they shoot back in. I'm just really worried because I got two new clams and a bunch of corals in my tank and I really don't want to loose them. Thanks for all the help and replies!

 

[Fluff]

It has a half red half black or dark color

This sounds like a common bristleworm to me.

 

[trotty]

Are they harmless?

 

[Bearfan]

Yep, actually very beneficially, unless you grab them.

 

[roka64]

I tried looking at night to see if they come out any further and as soon as I put the lights on it they shoot back in.

Get a flashlight that has a red cover for the lens. The regular light will scare them off, the red filter cuts down on the spectrum of light.

I believe Fluff is correct, sounds like a bristle worm, don't try to catch them with your hands, they will sting you. I would just leave them in there, they are ver beneficial as Bearfan stated.

 

[stevefromga2000]

the fireworms have what looks to me like 4 rows of legs. i've posted pics of the fireworms that i captured in my tank somewhere in this forum in the identification section, but i'm not sure how to link it here. anyways, the fireworms are also all red-ish to orange-ish colored. the bristleworms are like you described yours and half red and half dark colored. if somebody knows how to post to the other link, let me know and i'll repost those pics here for you.

 

[ntswift]

the fireworms have what looks to me like 4 rows of legs. i've posted pics of the fireworms that i captured in my tank somewhere in this forum in the identification section, but i'm not sure how to link it here. anyways, the fireworms are also all red-ish to orange-ish colored.

Yeah, thats what confused me. These have 4 rows of bushy type bristles. I thought it was a bristle worm and I wasnt worried bacause I know they are good for your tank but when I saw the fluffy bristles with 4 rows thats what threw me off.

 

[stevefromga2000]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=81604

i think that you can view my post this way. hopefully it helps

 

[Fluff]

Fireworm....

http://www.lifeintheseas.com/bristleworm.html

http://www.underwater.org/mermaid/tobago/images/2004c-6-18p-800.jpg

Bristleworm....

http://home.comcast.net/~bberg100/Aquarium/Marine_Pics/pages/bristle worm 121505.htm

http://www.rl180reef.com/pages/misc/images/bristleworm01-lg.jpg

HTH

 

[ntswift]

Thanks for the help everyone! I can stop worrying now!

Fluff- it looks exactly the same as the first bristleworm picture. It just kinda threw me off with the brush looking bristles. Thank you!