Still Finding Things in My Tank!

[djmpj2]

Our tank is 3 years old and we are still finding creatures!

Last night my husband looked at dark tank and saw this worm like thing going crazy up and down the length of the tank. He caught it in the net and put it in a baggie and has been floating it on the tank.

We are pretty sure we have some LARGE worm in our tank. We see it every once in a while at feeding time. My husband is afraid it is a killer worm b/c we have "lost" quite a few sand sifting golbies over the years. They all seem to make their house in the same cave area that our big worm lives in. He thinks the worm strangles them

Anyway, anyone know what this is? Good or bad? Could our big worm have had a baby worm?

http://jeffries.smugmug.com/photos/235164519-L.jpg

http://jeffries.smugmug.com/photos/235164520-L.jpg

 

[cmor1701d]

Appears to be a harmless bristleworm (the good kind) that eats detritus.

More here

 

[djmpj2]

OK, we dumped it back into the tank and it is swimming around like a maniac. Mostly up on the top surface diving up and down. Do bristleworms swim? This thing is not even going close to the sand. It's acting like it wants out!

 

[cmor1701d]

Turn the lights off and let it settle back in.

 

[melosu58]

I agree a Bristle Worm.

 

[MT79]

It's definitely some type of polychaete worm AKA bristle worm.

We are pretty sure we have some LARGE worm in our tank. We see it every once in a while... My husband is afraid it is a killer worm b/c we have "lost" quite a few sand sifting golbies over the years

FWIW when polychaete's get large they can become nuisances/predators. But usually they have to be pretty big. Any possibility it's a serpent star, mantis shrimp, crab,...?
In addition to Melosu's link, this may help. It has a lot of polychaete worms ID's- http://home2.pacific.net.ph/~sweetyummy42/hitchworms.html

 

[johnmaloney]

They multiply. You should only keep them if you lkike the way it looks, you can get CUC members to do his role, without looking gross. Where is a sixline when you need one, those guys love killing worms. Well, at least mine did.. he liked to attack almost everything though!