Bristleworm or fireworm?

[Goob]

My wife sent me these pictures of a "centipede" she thought I added to my tank. My wife also hates centipedes with a passion. :ROFLMAO:

Anyways, I read that bristle worms are beneficial to the tank, whereas fireworms aren't. I didn't see it with my own eyes, I just have to go off of these pictures. This would also explain some of the tracks I've seen through my sand. I thought they were from some of my snails, but apparently not.

I don't want my tank to be overrun with them, and I'm really only concerned about the safety of my livestock (two clowns and my fire shrimp). I was thinking about adding a Goby or blenny this afternoon, but now I'm a little cautious with this guy crawling around.

What is it and what should I do?

Thanks for your help, you guys have saved me plenty of money and have always been great.

 

[kbuser92]

Bristleworm.

 

[salt_for_brains]

+1 on a bristle

 

[bronson]

bristleworm i never had any issues with em but mine have seemed to have disappeared overtime

 

[Aquarian]

They all beat me:eek:
+1 too all except Bronson he's just not looking close enough. :D

 

[ReeferRob]

They all disappear from my tank. Dottybacks and Arrow crabs will eat them.

 

[Goob]

Thanks everyone. I'd really like to get an arrow crab but should I be worried about it and my fire shrimp cohabitating?

 

[bronson]

They all beat me:eek:
+1 too all except Bronson he's just not looking close enough. :D

lol but know they have gone think ammonia spike wiped em out in the tanks earlier days:mad::D

 

[monique]

i think you have a reg bristle worm. i had a fire worm once and it was a more robust individual. thicker bodied and had a obvious row of bristles down each side. was a darker reddish brown colour too. bristle worms eat a lot of waste food, scavage the rocks in all the little holes. they dont usually come out in the light. if they are coming out in the light they are either starving or dieing. your tank looks pretty new. probably no food for them drop a couple fish pellets in at nite to feed your nitetime crawlers until your tank gets going. look in the tank after lights out to see them. just remove the worms if they get big. if you want to keep your shrimps and snails then dont get a arrow crab. they will eat them if they get hungry. will go after small fish too.

 

[Goob]

if you want to keep your fire shrimp then i would not get an arrow crab. they kill small fish too. dont worry to much about your bristle worms utnless they get big then take the large ones out. they do a lot of good, they scavage the tank and eat any waste food or dead organisms before it has a chance to foul the water. as long as the population doesnt get to big dont worry about it. also i think that pix is just a run of the mill bristle worm. i had a fireworm once. mine was a more robust individual, thicker bodied and they have a rather noticable row of bristle down each side, also mine was more redish brown. ook in your tank at nite if you want to see them, they dont usually come out in the light

Thank you

 

[Old Tom]

Bristle worms are actually pretty good things to have in the aquarium. they will eat much of the food that falls into the rocks and will keep the rocks pretty healthy. There are many animals that will eat them but they generally will survive as it only take a small piece to have another worm grow. Fireworms are not good but not as bad as you might think, they can be kept under control with the right fish and shrimp as well.

 

[monique]

Bristle worms are actually pretty good things to have in the aquarium. they will eat much of the food that falls into the rocks and will keep the rocks pretty healthy. There are many animals that will eat them but they generally will survive as it only take a small piece to have another worm grow. Fireworms are not good but not as bad as you might think, they can be kept under control with the right fish and shrimp as well.

i dont know about that. i discovered my fire worm at nite when i looked in the tank after dark. he was attached to a rock and trying to pull a big feather duster worn out of his casing.