Need Help with a worm ID. Video Included.

[brodden]

Hey Guys I need help with a worm ID. I think these worms are part of the Amphinomidae family (Fire Worms); but I can't tell for sure and I need to know if they are ok to leave in the tank or if I need to get them out. We noticed one of them peaking out from under a piece of LR the other day and today when I added a new piece of LR to the tank I move things around and found several of them, 2 of which were 2-3 inches long.

Here are the videos:

http://www.youtube.com/v/FCQDTU9CTjA&rel=1

http://www.youtube.com/v/cOGcFSy43KA&rel=1

 

[charlesr1958]

Since I'm on dial up speed I can't wait that long to download videos, but might I have what you are looking for within my hitch hiker pages. Hope it helps.

A Hitch Hikers Guide to the Reefs

Chuck

 

[brodden]

Chuck -

Thanks for the tip. Actually, yours is the website that I looked at in order to determine that I think they are part of the Amphinomidae family; but I wanted to see if someone knew for sure....

Ben

 

[LeslieH]

Yes, they're small amphinomids, detritivores & scavengers, and good tank citizens.

 

[brodden]

Thanks! That's good to know. Even though they are "good" for the tank would too many of them pose a threat?

 

[LeslieH]

These guys? No, although you could get a population explosion if there's a lot of excess food or poop. In nature there may be thousands of polychaetes & other inverts in a rock all competing for food & preying on each other. In a tank where there's only a limited number of animals detritivores like these worms can safely reproduce and increase in number. Limiting the amount of food will limit their population. that's safer than waiting for their numbers to crash because of starvation as that might affect your water parameters.

 

[Mako Shark II]

Arrow Crabs will eat bristle worms.