What am I? Good or bad?

[Balz3352]

Just caught a glimpse of this guy... Bristle worm?

 

[JoshHill83]

Looks like a bristle worm. Arrow crabs will consume them, but they have been risky to add to a reef tank with small fish in my experience. You can borrow mine if you want. He's about 7", so he might be interested in any slow, smaller fish.

 

[FishTV]

Looks like a Bristle Worm. Pay attention at feeding time, likely there are more. Some People hate them, but generally harmless cleaners. Try not to touch with your bare skin... Heard they can have a nasty sting.

 

[SkyShark]

Looks like a Bristle Worm. Pay attention at feeding time, likely there are more. Some People hate them, but generally harmless cleaners. Try not to touch with your bare skin... Heard they can have a nasty sting.

+1. Feels like fiberglass. Quite unpleasant, I would advise against petting this new friend.

 

[JoshHill83]

I had one that was basically eating a squamosa clam. I had to move the clam up on to a rock shelf. That's the only trouble I've ever had with them. I bought a trap for them from elite reef and have had some success in trapping them. With the traps you have to put them within an inch or so of where they come out at night, used it for a month and only caught 5 in my 90. If you use a coral dip it should help kill them before you put anything new in to your tank if you don't want them.

 

[Balz3352]

I don't fully understand how I got one everything that is in my tank has been dipped.... So if I leave him he's just harmless?

 

[JoshHill83]

Sometimes they just don't die when dipped. Unless you are noticing them eating your corals you should be fine.

 

[Balz3352]

Cool ill keep a close eye on it.. Bout the only good thing about a small tank

 

[Walter White]

All have dozens probably more. IMO they are good and I leave them alone unless I find a really big one. 6-7 inches or more then I pull them out.

 

[zombie]

All have dozens probably more. IMO they are good and I leave them alone unless I find a really big one. 6-7 inches or more then I pull them out.

+1. just be careful sticking you hands in the sand. they hurt like a *****.

 

[zombie]

Btw, this is a good reference to determine which worms are good and which are bad.

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchworms.html

 

[Catfish Charlie]

Yes it definitely looks like a bristle worm. Bristle worms are not necessarily bad, but nor are the necessarily good! I found that if kept in "check" they can be an asset as part of the CUC. BUT if allowed to get out of hand, they can be a MAJOR problem and they can become easily out of hand! Over feeding is usually the result that allows them to become "over populated". When over populated I've seen them attack clams, corals and other inverts.

 

[SkyDiv3r17]

Couldn't have said it better Charlie. And I entirely agree with pulling the large one out when you can. I pull out at around 4 inches.