What is this abomination that was in my rocks?

[mcauthor]

I have seen a smaller one that I left alone, only because it got away in a hole in my rocks… I’m thinking about getting a Six-line wrasse or a Hawkfish. My only concern is they might eat my hermit crabs.

 

[Readywriter]

It’s huge. I saw it when I was rearranging my rocks. I don’t know if it’s a bristle worm or fireworm

Good bait is what it is.

 

[Queenbee73]

You should use the metaphor of mouse, not rabbit. Rabbits are cute, rats are disgusting, and mane bugs are even worse!

 

[Queenbee73]

I have seen a smaller one that I left alone, only because it got away in a hole in my rocks… I’m thinking about getting a Six-line wrasse or a Hawkfish. My only concern is they might eat my hermit crabs.

I left them alone until they got out of hand. Submerging then I’m a cooler of tap water rushed most out. I got an arrow crab to eat them but when he touched one he ran up the filter and hid for 3 hours

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Mostly.harmless as many said. Even larger ones. Its only bad when they get to close to coral and irritate but usually just hide in rocks. Great cleanup crew.

 

[Paul B]

There are probably no mature tanks that don't have hundreds of them. I know I do.

 

[mcauthor]

There are probably no mature tanks that don't have hundreds of them. I know I do.

Ew… I wish I could use the vomit
emoji… They wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t look so gross… If they stayed tiny I could ignore them, but those things get huge.

 

[Paul B]

Their Mother probably likes them.

 

[PotatoPig]

I’m not really sure it’s feasible to keep these things out of a tank without a fairly extensive quarantine process.

You flatly couldn’t use live rock, would have to aggressively quarantine and monitor all corals, possibly aided by chemical additives to try kill them, and would have to follow a similar process when adding hermits and snails, albeit with more limited options to chemically attack them. And then if a single one gets in all the effort was futile anyway and you’re the proud new owner of a team of the uglier tank cleaners we have.

Just make sure you wear gloves when handling anything in the tank - these things are going to be in and under literally every rock in your tank, albeit not all as large.

 

[strich]

Out of interest, why can't you handle them?

 

[mcauthor]

Out of interest, why can't you handle them?

I just don’t like how they look if it’s too big. I feel like I might get stung on accident when doing maintenance. I touched that giant one by mistake, because I didn’t see it hiding in the rock… Thankfully I didn’t get stung.

 

[strich]

What is the sting like? Anyone got horror stories?

 

[Paul B]

Out of interest, why can't you handle them?

The reason they are called "Bristleworms" is because those very sharp "bristles" come off in your skin.