Bristle Looking Worm???

[sergiotami]

I was looking at my aqaurium tonight when I noticed two bristle like looking worms crawling amongst the liverock....Should I be worried??? Tried to catch one, but they quickly retreated into holes in the liverock....Will keep trying to catch one and post pic...

[ismvel]

Bristleworms are good. You should be okay, unless they are very big, that is. :)

[sergiotami]

Thank You for response, looked up pics and thats what they are....Feel much better....:)

[mathias]

don't pick them up... they don't feel good :)

[sergiotami]

Is there any kind of fish, crab or shrimp that likes to eat them that is reef safe should I try to get rid of them???

Will they harm my coral????

[ismvel]

No bristleworms will not hurt your corals. They are beneficial to the reef, eat parasites. But yes there are some wrasses that eat bristleworms. You will just have to do some research as to which ones are reef safe. Like I said, as long as they don't get too big, you'll be fine with them, but you can definitely get rid of them if you'd like. And like Mathias said. you may not want to use your hands to grab them ;)

[acropoorer]

If they don't have natural predators they can over multiply and hang out of the rocks. I've seen several tanks that were full of them, creepy to look at cause they won't hide and can get quite large. So a controlled amount is good. Be sure you have at least one fish that will hunt them.

[Europhyllia]

I picked up several today and didn't feel a thing. Are you sure regular bristleworms hurt? I thought only the fireworms did?

[Mike]

Arrows crabs will also eat them... kind of fun to watch. We have a bunch of bristleworms (not arrow crabs :)) in our 20g hex and they are good clean up crew additions.

[sergiotami]

Read Arrow Crabs will kill my Maxima clams, so they'r out...Looking into Six Line Wrasse, anyone own one and what are they like???

[txav8r]

They can get big.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1165930/Barry-giant-sea-worm-discovered-aquarium-staff-mysterious-attacks-coral-reef.html

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/12/11/175044/88/254/672001