New Tank

[Kopitar]

Hey guys

Im new to this forum and this hobby. Been reading about it for last 6 months and finally decided to start a new tank 2 weeks ago. Bought a used 77 gallons and filled it up with 52 pds dry rock and about 9 pds of live rock to help the seeding. Yesterday i came across these little creatures that i assume came in my live rock, after googling "red worm" i figured out theyr prob bristle worms but how to make sure theyr not fire worms that stings?

Would you leave them be in the tank ? Or buy some kind of crab/shrimp that eats them ?

Thanks and great forum nice work

 

[Stephen Rollins]

Bristle worm. Good. Keep them part of the clean up crew

 

[Kopitar]

Thanks.. whats the best way to make the difference between bristle worm and fire worms ?

 

[Stephen Rollins]

Some fire worms can be very harmful to corals in a saltwater tank. Most however are beneficial scavengers. The ones that are harmful are very rare to see in an aquarium and almost never hitch hike on live rock. Before you do anything drastic try to find out exactly what species of fireworm you have. Even if it turns out to be of the bad variety they do not prey on healthy fish only corals and some anemones. Unless you have any of those in there a large bristle worm can be a very interesting inhabitant of a fish only marine aquarium. The dangerous one is called a Coral Eating Fireworm(bearded fireworm) scientific name; Hermidice carunculata. Google these names so you can see if yours matches. If it does you may want to set a trap for it using pvc pipe capped at both ends with small holes in both caps. Load the trap with a piece of bait(clam, mussel, squid etc.) and place it in the bottom of your tank before the lights go out. Check in the morning and reset up with fresh bait the next night. Keep doing this until you have caught him. Do not touch him. The bristles are venomous and can cause a very itchy and painful rash.

 

[Stephen Rollins]

You will know the difference when you see a fire worm. Even if you've never seen one. Big and red

 

[Kopitar]

Ok thanks for the infos... I guess ill wait a few weeks/months till they grow a little.. Bit too small for now to be 100% sure wich species they are