Weird worm like thing just popped up in my week old tank.

[berrset1]

Hey guys. I have had my tank running for a week now. Today i saw my first 3 little organisms pop out. A starfish, a small shrimp and an odd worm i cant seem to identify. Its body is blue in color and it has many white spikes/hairs along its sides. It weaves in and out of the live rock holes slowly.

 

[demotaz7]

Bristle worm...

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[AquaRick]

+1 Bristle Worm. Ok to have in your tank. Can get pretty big.

 

[berrset1]

+1 Bristle Worm. Ok to have in your tank. Can get pretty big.

I thought bristle worms were a reddish color? He is very blue looking. He looks like that, just smaller.

 

[AquaRick]

Bristle worm is a generic term to describe similar worms of varying species. Sometimes folks call the red varieties Fireworms etc. They're all pretty much the same thing.

 

[berrset1]

Bristle worm is a generic term to describe similar worms of varying species. Sometimes folks call the red varieties Fireworms etc. They're all pretty much the same thing.

Okay. Thank you. Im gonna investigate when the lights go out and see if i can find more. What do you think the limit should be on these little guys?

 

[AquaRick]

A lot of folks like them as they are detritivores. Just watch out for their bristles. There are bristle worm traps available than can help if you want to remove them. I usually just leave them alone. Once they get big, I try to grab them with tongs and just dump them in my sump.