Rock worms, bristles or what? Help

[92reefer]

I've seen some large (5-6 inch) worms that come out from the rock primarily at night.

They are relatively wide and flat and have tufts or little feathers lined up and down both side of the worm. They extend from the rock at night and I guess feed. I tried to grabbing onto one but it just retracted back into the rock.

It also seems that there are trails all over the bottom of my reeftank as I look up into the sand bed from the bottom of my glass tank.

Can someone tell me what these things are and if they are OK for the tank? I remember Dr. Shimek saying that worms are beneficial to Deep Sand Beds? I do have a Sand Bed although it's only about 2-3 inches deep.

What should I do?

 

[billsreef]

Sounds like bristleworms. Usually a good thing

 

[TracyZeuner]

Dont try and grab it with your hand, some of them have bristles that are venom-tipped!

 

[jaymz101]

sounds like a bristle worm to be. Most of them look like a variation of this: http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet.cfm?base=polychaete As for the sand bed, those are worm tubes. Dont worry, theyre a good thing in sand beds.

 

[jaymz101]

Some bristle worms are corallivores so keep an eye out for any mysterious disappearances, but for the most part they are detritivores and will help keep your tank clean.

 

[92reefer]

Yup. Definitely bristleworms.

I lose peppermints and small chromis in the tank over time. I don't know if one of the large bristleworms is to blame or if I have another "monster" in the tank. I've heard clicking for years in the tank but have never been able to either spot or trap whatevers providing the clicks. If the bristles are relatively safe, I'll leave them alone