Live Rock Hitchhiker- CAN'T I.D.!

batray girl · 11-17-2006, 01:33 AM

ok a few minutes ago, i turned my aquarium light on and there was a tiny, bright bluish "worm" next to my decorator crab. i am thinking it might be some kind of bristle worm but i've never seen one like it. it's "bristles" were yellow and it looked like it had eyes, but then again it was very tiny so i'm not sure.

i tried to take pictures, but it was so small my camera couldn't focus on it, even in macro.

i'll post my crappy shots tomorrow when i get a chance.

if anybody knows what i'm talking about PLEASE let me know.

thanks

**Damon** · 11-17-2006, 10:31 AM

Sounds like a bristle worm. Harmless creatures that are helpful in a tank.

Ice · 11-17-2006, 11:09 AM

I was gonna say that but wasn't sure. I knew it ! I knew it !! LOLOL !!!

batray girl · 11-17-2006, 10:26 PM

i figured it was, but have you ever seen one like that? i'm only used to seeing the all red, red and white, red and black, and pink and purple ones.

**Damon** · 11-18-2006, 12:18 PM

I have bluish ones in my tank. As long as they arent red/orange, which is very rare, you are o.k.

oddselection · 04-30-2007, 06:05 PM

I have an assortment of bristles, and I have an infestation. What is the best solution, because many will stun and feed off of Soft Coral at night. VERY BAD!

**TheOldSalt** · 05-01-2007, 08:59 AM

First, don't panic. Most bristleworms aren't the boogeymonsters we used to think they were after all.
As for removing them, well, there are many methods available, and you'd be hard pressed to pick a "best" one.

There are little traps you can use to catch them, or some fish which will eat them, or things you can physically do to your rocks to remove them, but they're all a big hassle and usually more trouble than they're worth. However, if you have a really bad infestation, you could probably have the best luck with trapping. Put a wad of freezdried krill into a ball of pantyhose. The bristles get stuck on the hose when the worms try to get to the food, and you can usually yank them up with the hoseball before they can get free.

**Damon** · 05-01-2007, 10:48 AM

An infestation of bristle worms usually means an abundance of waste in the tank (via overfeeding, fish waste etc...) Cleaning up excess nutrients is the first step. Arrow crabs and coral banded shrimp are great for eliminating bristle worms.

harif87 · 05-01-2007, 11:32 AM

Keep in mind that bristleworms are great detritus eaters and are good for keeping the sandbed aerated, so i wouldnt want to totally eliminate them.

Btw this thread was dead since 11-18-2006

11-17-2006, 01:33 AM	#1
batray girl Surf 'n' Scuba Girl Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: east coast Age: 21 Posts: 92 User Feedback: (0)	Live Rock Hitchhiker- CAN'T I.D.! ok a few minutes ago, i turned my aquarium light on and there was a tiny, bright bluish "worm" next to my decorator crab. i am thinking it might be some kind of bristle worm but i've never seen one like it. it's "bristles" were yellow and it looked like it had eyes, but then again it was very tiny so i'm not sure. i tried to take pictures, but it was so small my camera couldn't focus on it, even in macro. i'll post my crappy shots tomorrow when i get a chance. if anybody knows what i'm talking about PLEASE let me know. thanks __________________ -the gotham city stingray 2-spot to the face!

11-17-2006, 10:31 AM	#2
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982 User Feedback: (0)	Sounds like a bristle worm. Harmless creatures that are helpful in a tank. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

11-17-2006, 10:26 PM	#4
batray girl Surf 'n' Scuba Girl Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: east coast Age: 21 Posts: 92 User Feedback: (0)	i figured it was, but have you ever seen one like that? i'm only used to seeing the all red, red and white, red and black, and pink and purple ones. __________________ -the gotham city stingray 2-spot to the face!

11-18-2006, 12:18 PM	#5
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982 User Feedback: (0)	I have bluish ones in my tank. As long as they arent red/orange, which is very rare, you are o.k. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

05-01-2007, 10:48 AM	#8
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982 User Feedback: (0)	An infestation of bristle worms usually means an abundance of waste in the tank (via overfeeding, fish waste etc...) Cleaning up excess nutrients is the first step. Arrow crabs and coral banded shrimp are great for eliminating bristle worms. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

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11-17-2006, 11:09 AM	#3
Ice Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Age: 43 Posts: 504 User Feedback: (0)	I was gonna say that but wasn't sure. I knew it ! I knew it !! LOLOL !!!

04-30-2007, 06:05 PM	#6
oddselection Fishy Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 14 User Feedback: (0)	I have an assortment of bristles, and I have an infestation. What is the best solution, because many will stun and feed off of Soft Coral at night. VERY BAD!

05-01-2007, 08:59 AM	#7
TheOldSalt Darth Ichthyos Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,034 User Feedback: (5)	First, don't panic. Most bristleworms aren't the boogeymonsters we used to think they were after all. As for removing them, well, there are many methods available, and you'd be hard pressed to pick a "best" one. There are little traps you can use to catch them, or some fish which will eat them, or things you can physically do to your rocks to remove them, but they're all a big hassle and usually more trouble than they're worth. However, if you have a really bad infestation, you could probably have the best luck with trapping. Put a wad of freezdried krill into a ball of pantyhose. The bristles get stuck on the hose when the worms try to get to the food, and you can usually yank them up with the hoseball before they can get free.

05-01-2007, 11:32 AM	#9
harif87 Minor Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Age: 21 Posts: 989 User Feedback: (1)	Keep in mind that bristleworms are great detritus eaters and are good for keeping the sandbed aerated, so i wouldnt want to totally eliminate them. Btw this thread was dead since 11-18-2006 __________________ sorry for beating you senseless "The human torch was denied a bank loan"

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