Unknow worm

tiburone9162003

New member
hi guys,i was wondering if anyone knows or seen this pink and purple little worm in rock...i have one in one of my rock in the tank,and today i bough some more from john and when i got home i found some in that rock,not sure if they bad or what,and it hard to take a good pic of them...it looks like they have lots of legs and are pink and purple only comes out at night ...i seen some sites about hitch hickers and none look like them...
 
Serch google images for "bristleworm" and see if that's what your looking at. IMO they are relatively reefsafe. I have a ton in my 29 gal and everything seems fine. Watch out they will sting you - not bad but you'll feel like tiny porcupine needles are in your finger or skin. Some of these worms have ended up in my fluval's sponge filters which I previously cleaned by hand. Now I use some reef gloves that I got from Marine Depot to minimize the temporary sting anoyance. When I first got my tank (it was already set up and established) I would look at night and it seems I would see something new for up to a year or so. Good luck and enjoy all this hobby has to learn - LOTS!
 
thanx for info...i just rinse the rock in the sink and i took out alot of hitch hikers that was in the rock...still some in rock but i was worry about those worms...
 
If they are bristle worms, they help clean up alot of left over junk.

Some people say they have killed fish, But usually they have no proof and look to blame something.


This website http://www.melevsreef.com/id/ will help you ID lots of things.
 
I too bought some from John and noticed these worms in the rocks. They come out at night and are half purple and the other half pink. I believe they are fire worms (a bristle), and shy away from light. They generally keep to themselves from what I have been able to tell but I have been told pack a wallop if you get stung by the little devils - so be careful.
 
I've only seen one photo of an 'attack' of what appears to be about 8-10 bristleworms after a pepermint shrimp. Photographer stated he saw this at night and took the photo.

Other than that I've heard of nobody else. But I have heard of lots of people saying how benifitial they are to the tanks ecosystem.

I would just be aware that if they get too many in number And if food becomes scarce, then your inhabitants may be come food.

And all this IS if what you are trying to ID is a bristleworm... Mantis Shrimp, flatworms, and a few other creatures can be harmful hitchhikers on liverock but for the most part, many are the reason we buy 'Live' rock.
 
Edwin, I too took to looking at Melev's ID page but couldn't find any worms. So I google it and came up with lots of them.
 
i took a pic of the worm,its weird cuz right now its right under the light lol...getting a tan or something lol...but his little light red..but the one in my first rock its big ,maybe like inch...im gonna try to post some pics for u guys...i have like maybe 10 of those brittles or serpen stars,they not bad right??? lol
 
Edwin,on the link u send me,i see some sponges kinda look like the black stuff on my rock,but on there site its only blue,white and yellowish i think...
 
Yeah sponges if exposed to air will probably die. Ive taken some rock out that had some on, but it survived.
 
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