Fireworm ID

[JokerGirl]

Clearly this guy has been in my 12 year old tank for quite some time. How I've gone this long and only just now paid attention to it, I have no idea. It baffles me, honestly.

It's been coming out to eat pellet the last several nights when I've done my nightly feeding before lights out. I finally saw it move completely through the rockwork tonight, and stretched it's probably a good 12" long.

It does have a definitive caruncle which identifies it as a fireworm, but it's not red like all of the literature for Hermodice carunculata states. I've had trouble with coral in this tank for a number of years, and it's been a fish only for the last few. I just want confirmation (or not) that this fella isn't the problem. I'm not interested in killing it, and if I must, I'll trap and move it to my refugium. If it is just a harmless scavenger, then I'll leave it be.

In this picture, you can see it engulfing a whole medium sized Formula Two pellet that my tang can barely even swallow.

Clearly, you can see my Tang is less than afraid of it...

 

[Betta132]

It almost looks like just a very large bristleworm. Perhaps it isn't one of the harmful species unless you touch it?
If you can move it without digging everything up or hurting it, I'd suggest putting it in your 'fuge and maybe just feeding it now and then. I'd hate to accidentally touch a fireworm, and I doubt it'll care too much if you move it to your 'fuge away from easily stung fish and easily stung hands.