Big scary bristle

[ru11er]

Hey guys, I've got a couple bristle worms and different type worms living in my tank... But there is this one guy......... He's about 10-12" long, 1/4" diameter.... Looks like a friendly worm but I thought some members might have some comments... I have a few pics and a short video... I know most bristles are okay, let's see

I'll have to check the URL to video...

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[mayday610]

looks like a fire worm. I've never personally had one, but they are said to be a bad worm.

 

[DerekFF]

Looks like a normal one to me. 10-12" is pretty big though. I'd get rid of him at that size. They can start eating little slow inhabitants that big


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[bct15]

I wouldn't worry about it, just remember where it lives so you don't get stuck with a bunch of huge bristles. I hat pulling those things out.

 

[Otter_rs]

I've had one of these start to eat Astraea snails. If they can get them to remove their foot from a rock, they will cover the operculum with mucus and suffocate the snail then come back and eat it after it starts decaying. Other than a hand full of snail deaths, he was never a problem. And I agree that you should not touch him. Causes a lot of itching and swelling. Very uncomfortable.


Brent \><{{{{*>
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[Pkunk35]

I've had one of these start to eat Astraea snails. If they can get them to remove their foot from a rock, they will cover the operculum with mucus and suffocate the snail then come back and eat it after it starts decaying. Other than a hand full of snail deaths, he was never a problem. And I agree that you should not touch him. Causes a lot of itching and swelling. Very uncomfortable.


Brent \><{{{{*>
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wow that is a crazy way to eat snails!

Personally i agree with Derek on the size thing, that's a pretty big worm.

 

[ru11er]

That's funny that u mention them rating snails , I had a narcissus (sp?) Snail all messed up on the sand bed, he eventually died and I saw the worm going for him, I removed the snail as it was making a big mess... I have three banded trochets, bumblebees, and other randoms, I hope he doesn't mess with them :/

On a side note, I've got 4 always hundry puffers, in a different setup... 3 green spotted and a big porcupine, would the fireworms or bristles be a good snack for them? I would think the bristles would mess them up... ? I also have a purple reef lobster , can I feed these worms? Or just dispose of them?

Thanks
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[DerekFF]

I know there are a few things that eat them although I can't remember what they are. I just read it a few weeks ago also (my memory is already failing me at 26 lol) just do a few minutes of reading and you'll find out what does naturally predate on the though.


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[Slickwill613]

I've read arrow crabs eat them.

 

[mrs sexycorals]

I find these guys all the time when I frag wild colonies. When they're too big I cut them up and feed them to my wrasses. They love it & fight each other over it!

 

[Greg@LionfishLair]

FWIW, the critters in question are Eurythoe complanata (Caribbean Fireworms). They are generally detritus feeders, but will indeed prey on desirable micro fauna. They also have a more potent sting than Eurythoe sp. (common bristleworms).

The easy way to distinguish fireworms from bristleworms is that their protective setae (bristles) are arranged in definite clusters/tufts, whereas those of the common bristleworm appear more continuous.

 

[Greg@LionfishLair]

Oh...many wrasses ans triggerfish feed on BW's, as do arrow crabs and CBS. Here's a quick snap of the CBS we kept for many years having a snack:

 

[mayday610]

Nice info Greg, and great picture

 

[DerekFF]

Yeah but as to the OP 10" is really big lol. 3-5" is still ok but that's a big boy worm lol. I'd get him out. But up to you. Happy reefing!


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[mcarroll]

I've had one of these start to eat Astraea snails. If they can get them to remove their foot from a rock, they will cover the operculum with mucus and suffocate the snail then come back and eat it after it starts decaying. Other than a hand full of snail deaths, he was never a problem.

Neat trick! Periwinkles (another snail from same general habitat) will do a trick like that when they're out of water during low tide to keep from drying out. Wonder if your snail might have made the slime as a "last gasp"?

Also good to point out that they'd never get a healthy snail that way. Keeping them healthy isn't so easy as Astraea are cold water animals and would really need a large supply of algae to stay healthy long term. In most systems, that's two "dings" against them. There are more appropriate snails if you have trouble with Astraea. Personally I would stay with snails that don't get as big like Ceriths or Nerites. These will also reproduce in-tank to keep up with algae issues and reproduction is fairly commonly seen. Personally I've seen Ceriths reproduce more often than anything else, but I've never had more than a single Stomatella. I've heard they will reproduce like crazy. My limpets reproduce like crazy, but I have no idea how...never seen an egg.

Interestingly (to me anyway), my bristleworms follow my snails (Cerith and small limpets) around the glass and rocks all the time, eating their poop "in real time". They're so close to each other that it looks like the snails have bristleworm tails. LOL

I know there are a few things that eat them although I can't remember what they are. I just read it a few weeks ago also (my memory is already failing me at 26 lol) just do a few minutes of reading and you'll find out what does naturally predate on the though.

Nothing reef safe is going to eat them preferentially.

Really, as others have said, there's no good reason to "try" to get rid of them. Their population will naturally follow the available food supply. So, if you have "a bristleworm problem" what you really have is an overfeeding/maintenance/overstocking/whatever problem. Figure that out and the bristleworm problem is gone.

FWIW, the critters in question are Eurythoe complanata (Caribbean Fireworms). They are generally detritus feeders, but will indeed prey on desirable micro fauna. They also have a more potent sting than Eurythoe sp. (common bristleworms).

The easy way to distinguish fireworms from bristleworms is that their protective setae (bristles) are arranged in definite clusters/tufts, whereas those of the common bristleworm appear more continuous.

Good info!

I would suggest that Hermodice sp. are the only bristleworms really worth worrying about because they eat coral. Even these should be exceedingly rare, and it'll be no mystery if you have them (read this, paragraph 7 especially) due to the way they go about eating coral - worms have no way to bite! Also why most only eat dead/decaying matter. (Read the link!) So even these aren't worth worrying about to me...just be aware of them and remove them if you see them feeding. (Neither me, nor anyone I know in the hobby has ever seen one of these. I worked for years at a salt-only LFS that has been around ~15 years and the owner has never seen one either. FWIW.)

-Matt

P.S. To Ru11er: I wouldn't obsess over it because it's not too likely to happen, but given the chance (e.g. finding him completely out and in the middle of your sand bed) I think I would opt for removal of your big worm. The reason I wouldn't obsess is that chances are is all he'll ever do is help keep the tank balanced when feeding levels are high, etc. The only real reason to justify removal at all is that if you had to starve the tank for some reason - long enough that he would actually be starving to death - he might be big enough to worry about for any weakened or very small tank mates. Pretty unlikely scenario.

 

[Greg@LionfishLair]

Eunice (AKA bobbitt worms) are definitely worth worrying about. However, they look quite different than the "bristleworms", as they lack protective setae, have five distinct antennae, and scimitar-shaped mandibles for grasping prey. Altho they usually feed on detritus, they can indeed make small fish "disappear".

We kept one in its own tank for awhile...it was a pretty cool critter.