What in God's blue sky is this!!?

[kiko81]

I was checking my parameters and noticed my nitrates were high. Then I remembered my tank has a filter rug type in the overflow chamber of my 125g reef tank. Then surprise!! I found my wrasse that was missing for about 3 months...ALIVE and healthy. Anyways I totally neglected cleaning this filter (I totally forgot about it) I took it out and noticed two of this weird hairy looking things. What the hell is it? Oh and the wrasse survived on copepods that were spawning in the filter.

 

[Calappidae]

Torn up bristle worm?

 

[kiko81]

Torn up bristle worm?

No. It moves like a type of slug or something. Its so weird

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

May be an epitoke, part of the reproductive cycle of polychaete worms.

 

[kiko81]

epitoke? What are these and what do they do? I looked it up on Google images and didn't find one that looked like it. But fairly similar

 

[Moort82]

Baby bristleworm.

 

[kiko81]

Wow bristle worm. Ok. Never seen or heard of them before. I threw both out because I didn't know what they were or good for the tank because they were uglier than fudge. Lol. Thanks guys.

 

[Calappidae]

Wow bristle worm. Ok. Never seen or heard of them before. I threw both out because I didn't know what they were or good for the tank because they were uglier than fudge. Lol. Thanks guys.

They're beneficial.. however if you hold one (which you unknowingly did..) they'll leave little fiber glass like "bristles" in your finger.. kinda like cone flowers if you're familiar with those. Nothing toxic though. (fire worms do the same but contain venom like bee stings.. they're much rarer though)

Other than that simple don't touch one downside.. they are benefitical scavengers that won't harm corals or livestock.

 

[kiko81]

Good to know. I didn't feel anything but I did wash my hands right away. But glad they are beneficial. I feel better knowing I have some in my tank. Thanks for your help.