what are these?

PhotoJohn · 07-06-2007, 03:16 PM

I have a bow front and it makes pictures look odd but here is something I just saw...It looks like a bristle worm or something. I have never delt with something like this guy before, is he bad? It looked as if he was eating alge or gunk on the rock. I also was wondering what the small star in the picture is? Is it a small brittle star? There are many of the small stars.

Thanks

lReef lKeeper · 07-06-2007, 05:35 PM

just a bristle worm and micro serpent star. both are good to have. i remove bristleworms only when they reach between 6 and 8 inches. they eat detritus.

PhotoJohn · 07-07-2007, 12:05 AM

when they are larger do they cause problems?

**CarmieJo** · 07-07-2007, 08:16 AM

Overfeeding will cause a population explosion but even with consistent feeding I've noticed that they ebb and flow in my tank. I've never removed any from my tank but I've never seen any bigger than 5 or 6 inches. I might have to remove some from my new nano because there are a ton in there. I think that the old owners were really overfeeding.

lReef lKeeper · 07-07-2007, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhotoJohn

when they are larger do they cause problems?

No, they are just really UGLY to look at !!

doctorthompson · 07-18-2007, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhotoJohn

when they are larger do they cause problems?

No, never. Certainly not the species pictured in that photo (those things are scared of amphipods!) but the biodiversity on live rock is so typically dismal these days that I'd even hesitate to remove a true fireworm if I saw one.

The only common problem with them is they tend to get blamed for a lot of things they didn't (and can't) do - which in the end will cost the aquarist time (trying to catch them), money (buying bristleworm "traps"), or worse (aquarists knocking over rocks trying to catch a worm, crushing other valuable livestock in the process... etc... ).

**Seahorsedreams** · 07-18-2007, 12:38 PM

I don't particularily like them in a seahorse tank. When ever I see them in there I pluck them out. I know of three horses that died due to snout rot from accidententally trying to ingest them when they got mixed up in mysis.