Please ID this critter.

[wetjet43]

When they say "Live Rock", they really mean it! This little guy so far is about 2cm long. It hasn't crawled out of it's hole it is hiding in yet, but I'm hoping it's a safe inhabitant. It's red, and fuzzy... moves pretty slow too, although it can hide back in it's hole in the live rock fairly quickly if needed.

It was pretty hard to focus on it with my 150mm macro lens due to the glass... I find that true on all pictures I take through this aquarium though.

 

[jbob]

bristle worm?

 

[wetjet43]

Should I take it out?

 

[mhills16]

that is entirely up to you, they are scavengers.

 

[wetjet43]

As long as they don't scavenge my feather dusters, I'll let it stay.

 

[mikecc]

really tho...the pics are excelent

 

[wetjet43]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13096193#post13096193 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mikecc
really tho...the pics are excelent

Thank you!

 

[OAD]

Most likely a Bristleworm which is a very beneficial and often understood detrivore. I have tons in my tank that come out during feedings. I would ask though that you post a picture of more of its' body because there is a slight chance you may have a fireworm.

 

[wetjet43]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13096235#post13096235 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by OAD
Most likely a Bristleworm which is a very beneficial and often understood detrivore. I have tons in my tank that come out during feedings. I would ask though that you post a picture of more of its' body because there is a slight chance you may have a fireworm.

If it ever pops it's head out of the hole it's in, I will. I've got the camera set up, ready to click away.

 

[OAD]

The Bristleworm has a Red/Orange body that occasionally has Blue/Purple segments.

 

[wetjet43]

It crawled out even further, but still not all the way. It's about 1.25 inches long so far.

 

[wetjet43]

Whoa! I spotted another one crawling out of another hole about 4 inches away from the other one! These things remind me of the ear worms in Star Trek, The wrath of Kahn!

 

[mhills16]

i do not believe that is a fire worm at all! just leave them be if you like them, they will eat your feather duster only if it dies, so, if one day you see this, the duster died before they got to it!

 

[wetjet43]

They look just like a fireworm, or at least what other sites are calling a fireworm. They have the little hairs sticking out the sides that come out when you try to touch it. Maybe a small one... After much reading of these possibly nasty little stinging worms, I've decided to err on the side of caution and get rid of them. They say if you touch one, you'll remember it for about a week or two. And since my hand is quite often in the tank, I don't need any surprises sticking me in the hand. I'd get some piranha if I wanted that.

http://marinediscovery.arizona.edu/alex tuttle webpage/Brittle Stars and Fireworms.html

 

[mhills16]

fireworms are much thicker and have a denser amount of "bristles" , i do not believe that to be a fireworm, but, it is your tank, regardless fireworm or bristleworm, they both have "stingers" on them that will hurt your hand, so regardless of what you think they are you would have to remove them whether they are a bristleworm or fire because they both can hurt your hand, which is always in the tank like you said..........

 

[mhills16]

actually if you google marine bristleworm and click images it looks like the same image you took as an example.