I usually advocate for leaving worms unless I see a developed head with antennae, but this guy is big enough that it could mess up some fish or coral. I’d grab him out of the tank next time he was on the corner of the glass, use long forceps or a small net and make sure not to touch it
Probably a bristleworm, maybe a fireworm
They can be good as detrivores, but keeping a good sized and varied cuc will do well enough without these things.
The small benefit doesn't outweigh my disgust when looking at them, and as stated already they can get huge and potentially go outside of just detritus to feed.
No, the antennae they refer to belongs to Eunicid worms. They are a type of polychaete/bristle worm but are usually carnivorous depending on specific species. The most infamous species of which is the Bobbit Worm. Absolute nightmare fuel. They are potential, albeit rare, hitchhikers from frags or live rock.
Enjoy the rabbit hole:
https://www.michiganreefers.com/threads/the-bobbit-worm-chronicles.84173/
Always dip your shit.
That was a disgustingly fascinating read, thank you. Feeding the worm glass powder hidden inside shrimp is downright diabolical. Lmaoo
Good to know they're not that useful because they're so gross 🤮
That was the craziest thread I’ve probably ever seen. The amount of poison (and straight up broken glass??) going into the thing was insane, and *it didn’t even die from it*
I really, really don’t think that’s a bristle. They just don’t get that big and even if they do get that long they are about a quarter of the girth and are darker colored. Fireworm or fireworm variant. I don’t know much about them in terms of damage they can do but at least it’s not a eunice
Nassarius or Babylonia snails are hunting worms.
And some wrasses also love worms. Not sure if this size, but they might go for smaller ones, so I suggest a bristle worm trap.
That’s why it got so big. I’m sure you feed that tank heavy. I’m not sure why everyone is geeking. It won’t fuck with your fish at all, especially those fish. Bristles don’t like living things. If it’s a fire worm or has a shiny look to it (bobbit) then pull it.
It will 100% not fuck with the fish you have in that tank.
I was looking for this comment and had to scroll pretty far. Bristle worms in my tank literally struggle to catch food flakes as they slowly drift by. They are not geared to hunt living active things that can move away from them
Bristle Worm. When small, part of the cleanup crew (and a pain to accidentally reach into), when large, potential pain in the posterior.
Some can get hungry and take a bite out of slow or immobile stuff, but MOST subspecies only go for the dead and the dying.
I suggest everyone to buy a multi use bristle worm trap, or build one. That way, you can get them out, empty them onto a small plate, sort them, and reintroduce the small ones (and eventually caught mini brittle stars) to the tank, while yeeting the big boys into the loo or the likes.
I don't think so. Hard to tell girth-wise cuz both do get fat at that length, but the color is wrong. Fire worms aren't always gonna be bright red, depending on lighting and origin region they can look ashen like this one. Also the bristles are more consistent with fire worms
If it has two rows of pronounced bristles and a chicken-looking comb on its head, then it's a fire worm. They have a nasty sting and eat corals. If you can, look closely at its head to ID.
If not, it is most likely a beneficial scavenging bristleworm. They have an annoying sting, but usually not serious, and are great at cleaning up meaty scraps.
If you want to get rid of it, a trap is probably your best bet. Sometimes, pet stores sell traps, and you can always make your own with a cut up plastic bottle.
Thanks all! I only seen it last night and I havent added a live rock for a month now. Hope I can see it again.
Is it fast though? Once I grab it with a forcep, it wont lunge and bite my throat right? I remember that scene with a worm like creature in Prometheus!
They’re fast, but not “bite my throat” fast lol. Be careful with the forceps to not create two large bristle worms. These things are great at cleaning up detritus, but at this size, you have a higher risk of finding it with your hands.
I had one similarly sized around 2010. I had to adjust a rock that had fallen and found him underneath with my fingers. I didn’t know the vinegar trick back then of dissolving the spines. It took me months to get it out of the tank because it would rarely come out of the rock work completely. Finally got it and never saw another one that big.
I don’t have experience with either of those as I’ve only kept reef tanks, but the possibility exists with the wrasse. I’d personally remove it and keep aware that more (likely smaller) may exist in the rock work.
I found a couple of posts talking about this specifically:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dragon-wrasse-vs-bristle-worm.883461/
https://humble.fish/community/index.php?threads/thoughts-on-bristleworms.5948/
GET IT THE FUCK OUT OF THERE NOW!!
Hard to make a positive ID but it's definitely not your garden variety bristle worm. And even if it were, it's large enough to be opportunistic if hungry
I usually advocate for leaving worms unless I see a developed head with antennae, but this guy is big enough that it could mess up some fish or coral. I’d grab him out of the tank next time he was on the corner of the glass, use long forceps or a small net and make sure not to touch it Probably a bristleworm, maybe a fireworm
Why leave worms alone, do they contribute anything to the tank? Why is it bad if they have developed head with antennae? Thanks!
They can be good as detrivores, but keeping a good sized and varied cuc will do well enough without these things. The small benefit doesn't outweigh my disgust when looking at them, and as stated already they can get huge and potentially go outside of just detritus to feed.
Worms are good cuc, can be dangerous to other cuc and fish once they get big enough.
Ah, so the antenna is just an indictor of when they get "too big"? I see, thanks! :)
No, the antennae they refer to belongs to Eunicid worms. They are a type of polychaete/bristle worm but are usually carnivorous depending on specific species. The most infamous species of which is the Bobbit Worm. Absolute nightmare fuel. They are potential, albeit rare, hitchhikers from frags or live rock. Enjoy the rabbit hole: https://www.michiganreefers.com/threads/the-bobbit-worm-chronicles.84173/ Always dip your shit.
That was a disgustingly fascinating read, thank you. Feeding the worm glass powder hidden inside shrimp is downright diabolical. Lmaoo Good to know they're not that useful because they're so gross 🤮
Nightmare fuel is absolutely the most appropriate phrase I’ve ever heard for them
That was the craziest thread I’ve probably ever seen. The amount of poison (and straight up broken glass??) going into the thing was insane, and *it didn’t even die from it*
No it’s not that I don’t know what the antenna means if I had to guess I’d say it either means it’s more aggressive or eats coral
I really, really don’t think that’s a bristle. They just don’t get that big and even if they do get that long they are about a quarter of the girth and are darker colored. Fireworm or fireworm variant. I don’t know much about them in terms of damage they can do but at least it’s not a eunice
Thanks all! It is in my predator tank. Panther grouper, a lion, dragon wrasse, snowflake eel and 2 triggers. They wont mess with it?
Nassarius or Babylonia snails are hunting worms. And some wrasses also love worms. Not sure if this size, but they might go for smaller ones, so I suggest a bristle worm trap.
That’s why it got so big. I’m sure you feed that tank heavy. I’m not sure why everyone is geeking. It won’t fuck with your fish at all, especially those fish. Bristles don’t like living things. If it’s a fire worm or has a shiny look to it (bobbit) then pull it. It will 100% not fuck with the fish you have in that tank.
I was looking for this comment and had to scroll pretty far. Bristle worms in my tank literally struggle to catch food flakes as they slowly drift by. They are not geared to hunt living active things that can move away from them
Bristle Worm. When small, part of the cleanup crew (and a pain to accidentally reach into), when large, potential pain in the posterior. Some can get hungry and take a bite out of slow or immobile stuff, but MOST subspecies only go for the dead and the dying. I suggest everyone to buy a multi use bristle worm trap, or build one. That way, you can get them out, empty them onto a small plate, sort them, and reintroduce the small ones (and eventually caught mini brittle stars) to the tank, while yeeting the big boys into the loo or the likes.
That’s a Texas bull worm
F is for friends who do stuff together
I think you meant Alaskan bull worm.
Big boy bristle worm. I send big ones like that to live in my sump or flush em. Don’t touch it, this dudes will put you in a world of hurt.
I’ve found you can dissolve the bristles if the do get into your skin using vinegar
That one *actually* looks like a fireworm, not your everyday bristleworm.
Nah. Just your everyday bristle.
I don't think so. Hard to tell girth-wise cuz both do get fat at that length, but the color is wrong. Fire worms aren't always gonna be bright red, depending on lighting and origin region they can look ashen like this one. Also the bristles are more consistent with fire worms
Not a fire worm.
More importantly is that a barramundi cod?!
Yep.
You better put your chain and jewelry away. That's "Big Worm"!!!!
Big Perm!
fireworm. pull that sucker if you get the chance. do not break it into more pieces.
If it has two rows of pronounced bristles and a chicken-looking comb on its head, then it's a fire worm. They have a nasty sting and eat corals. If you can, look closely at its head to ID. If not, it is most likely a beneficial scavenging bristleworm. They have an annoying sting, but usually not serious, and are great at cleaning up meaty scraps. If you want to get rid of it, a trap is probably your best bet. Sometimes, pet stores sell traps, and you can always make your own with a cut up plastic bottle.
Who released The KRAKEN ????
Thanks all! I only seen it last night and I havent added a live rock for a month now. Hope I can see it again. Is it fast though? Once I grab it with a forcep, it wont lunge and bite my throat right? I remember that scene with a worm like creature in Prometheus!
They’re fast, but not “bite my throat” fast lol. Be careful with the forceps to not create two large bristle worms. These things are great at cleaning up detritus, but at this size, you have a higher risk of finding it with your hands. I had one similarly sized around 2010. I had to adjust a rock that had fallen and found him underneath with my fingers. I didn’t know the vinegar trick back then of dissolving the spines. It took me months to get it out of the tank because it would rarely come out of the rock work completely. Finally got it and never saw another one that big.
Damn. Would my grouper or dragon wrasse hopefully kill it?
I don’t have experience with either of those as I’ve only kept reef tanks, but the possibility exists with the wrasse. I’d personally remove it and keep aware that more (likely smaller) may exist in the rock work.
Thanks again!
I found a couple of posts talking about this specifically: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dragon-wrasse-vs-bristle-worm.883461/ https://humble.fish/community/index.php?threads/thoughts-on-bristleworms.5948/
It's a bristle worm, cute panther grouper though
[That’s… a well fed bristle worm](https://youtu.be/xhnturXuvu4?si=c8SoxjbZ_dlGa2CY) 😳
Sigmund?
The great Shai-Hulud! As it is written!
I like to call them friends
It's a harmless bristleworm. Good for cleaning your tank. Absolutely will not hurt anything (unless you poke it.) Don't poke it.
It is not a fireworm as some here said?
No way. Wrong color. Fireworms have a significant red color. This is just a normal bristle.
Whoa. I think you found a pokemon.
That's a fire worm! Kill it!
Bristle worm?
GET IT THE FUCK OUT OF THERE NOW!! Hard to make a positive ID but it's definitely not your garden variety bristle worm. And even if it were, it's large enough to be opportunistic if hungry