While I initially thought I had gotten rid of them, over the months I have found out that I have fireworms, clam worms, and medusa worms living and thriving in my main system. Some have been slightly more "benevolent" than others, but I should probably take steps to try to eliminate them. Here are my thoughts:
Fireworms: I appear to have Pherecardia striata fireworms; this specific fireworm species primarily seems to be a detritivore like my other bristleworms. However online sources say they can eat small starfish. The micro-brittle star population in my display tank is a little low, but there are still plenty in my refugium where there are no fireworms.
Clam worms: Might be Oenone fulgida. These guys are isolated to my display, where they have killed every large grazing snail (Trochus and Astrea) I have introduced. However, my burrowing mollusks (conchs, Nassarius, and quahog clams) do not seem affected, while my hitchhiking algae-grazing snails (dove, Cerith, Collonista, and Stomatella) breed fast enough to avoid disappearing. These worms will also eat uneaten food, though they leave behind nasty mucus balls.
Medusa worms: Neat detritivores, but I am most concerned about these sea cucumbers as they can be highly toxic when disturbed. These are both in the refugium and the main display.
In any case, it would probably be wise to use a bristleworm trap to temporarily reduce the populations of these pests. I also have both carbon and Polyfilter on hand for emergencies.
Fireworms: I appear to have Pherecardia striata fireworms; this specific fireworm species primarily seems to be a detritivore like my other bristleworms. However online sources say they can eat small starfish. The micro-brittle star population in my display tank is a little low, but there are still plenty in my refugium where there are no fireworms.
Clam worms: Might be Oenone fulgida. These guys are isolated to my display, where they have killed every large grazing snail (Trochus and Astrea) I have introduced. However, my burrowing mollusks (conchs, Nassarius, and quahog clams) do not seem affected, while my hitchhiking algae-grazing snails (dove, Cerith, Collonista, and Stomatella) breed fast enough to avoid disappearing. These worms will also eat uneaten food, though they leave behind nasty mucus balls.
Medusa worms: Neat detritivores, but I am most concerned about these sea cucumbers as they can be highly toxic when disturbed. These are both in the refugium and the main display.
In any case, it would probably be wise to use a bristleworm trap to temporarily reduce the populations of these pests. I also have both carbon and Polyfilter on hand for emergencies.
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