Name this worm.. and more about it.

[saycheessee]

Can anyone tell me what this worm is and is it a good worm or a bad worm. I found it the other day while I was cleaning my tank out after a spat with red algae. Scared the pooopy out of my.. I reached down and it was coming out from under a rock and went to the piece of carpet (lol can't remember what it is called right now) that i have in my tank.

 

[Sk8r]

Bristleworm, a nice fat one, and a good guy, A-1 cleaner. They're really very gentle good citizens for corals and fish---sting the blazes out of us, but not the tank inhabitants.

 

[saycheessee]

shoooo.. thank goodness!! I am glad he didn't sting me cause I just about touched him before I saw him. ... lol ... how come he's so fat I wonder?

 

[charlesr1958]

I believe I have that species listed as well, and while it is a bristle worm, that name covers ALOT of ground, From what I can see of it, it looks like an Amphinomedae (fire worm), Check out the worm section of my hitch hiker page as there is also a good article linked as well.

Hitch Hikers

Chuck

 

[saycheessee]

It does look like a fire worm. like this one...

Only thing different is that mine is a brighter peach looking color. Is this one in your picture a peach color or a washed out color?

 

[charlesr1958]

Its pretty much a peach color and a bit washed out as you noted. While that particular species is not considered a threat to anything but possibly other worms, there are some species within this family group that are a threat to other life in our tanks and just wanted to try and help you make sure the one you do have is okay or not. Which it would seem that yours is indeed okay.