The Puffer Forum

Left some food at the bottom of the tank for my shrimp and hermit crabs to munch on and I happened to turn on the light to find these freaky looking things among them!



Initially I panicked at the sight of them in fear that they could pose a threat to my GSP's and removed them into a QT immediately. (one is slightly larger than my pinkie finger)


After posting on Facebook PP apparently tells me these are bristle worms and are beneficial detritus cleaners.
This was my first experience with these things in my marine tank. If these things wont harm my puffers, then they can stay.

Just thought I would share, and your input is welcome too.

With these things being discovered, how should I contain their growth and population other than starving everyone? I'm betting there are many more hiding in my LR.
One of the GSP's "inspected" one of them and swam away promptly. Is there any natural predators that I may need to invest in stocking to control the population?

Google images state that this is a fire worm which is less than friendly compared to other bristles. Compare it with the first image?
http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchworms.html

Everything I've read has stated their population numbers are in relation to their food source. If the tank is overfed their population grows.

Just seeing a couple wouldn't be any cause for concern. I don't see why you'd need to add to your stock just for the bristleworms, unless you're just looking to add more stock anyway. I'm not familiar with your tank, setup, or anything though I'd say there are quite a few wrasses that would eat them. I've got a Hovern's wrasse and with the way he's picking at rock constantly I'd bet he would, he's also supposed to be good for problem hitchhikers like flatworms (or something along them lines.

I have yet to see any in my tank, just read about them. I feel like I'm missing out on all of these hitchhikers

I'd say yours are just harmless bristleworms, doesn't look like the fireworm to me.

If your tank is dark (such as during nighttime hours) shine a light on the live rock or substrate or turn the lights on as you may catch sight of a couple as I did.

The tank is a 55 gallon with GSP's as my only fish with several hermits, snails, and shrimp as tankmates. I dunno how my GSP's would react to non puffers.

sgtmyers88 wrote:If your tank is dark (such as during nighttime hours) shine a light on the live rock or substrate or turn the lights on as you may catch sight of a couple as I did.

The tank is a 55 gallon with GSP's as my only fish with several hermits, snails, and shrimp as tankmates. I dunno how my GSP's would react to non puffers.

I have looked with flashlights many nights, no sightings of any hitchhikers. Either they're not in there or that good staying hidden. Oh well

I can't say for certain how I'd feel about sticking my hand down in my tank after seeing some hitchhikers that are possible.

Oh yeah, you were talking about wanting to upgrade when you found the right tank, 150g I believe.

Certainly can't say for sure how they would react but I'd bet things would go better once you were able to get that larger tank and you could introduce any potential tankmates before moving the GSPs over.

I believe most wrasses are quite fast little swimmers, mine certainly is and is constantly active. I'd say a wrasse would stand a fair chance, maybe one that is at least semi aggressive though.

They are cool,

Yikes!! I have been looking at my tank day & night for any sign of these ugly things after finding a spaghetti worm (I thought initially it was a bristle worm) eating part of a silver slide. I was so grossed out after searching Google for an ID

I also have seen a few bristleworms. I've seen them when I feed with coral frenzy or baby brine shrimp. It seems everyone comes out! I thought these were "hated", but I also hear from others they are beneficial. I may get a Wrasse myself someday.

Tanks are complex ecologies. There are many, many species involved, most microscopic. Don't think that the big critters we add specifically are the main life forms. It takes many weeks to months to get a stable tank ecology to mature. The microscopic and barely macroscopic are as important to the function of the whole system as are the fish or maco-inverts.

Don't panic over some bristle worms. The ones you have are not dangerous at all and no fire worms or -beware- bobbit worms. There are dozens to hundreds of them in a typical well running reef or fowlr tank.

These are the ones you don't want: http://www.uwphotographyguide.com/bobbit-worm

Corvus wrote:These are the ones you don't want: http://www.uwphotographyguide.com/bobbit-worm

Oh gosh, I read through a thread not too long ago about someone who had one in their tank and their process of getting it out of their tank. It was crazy!

Found it!
http://www.michiganreefers.com/forums/a ... icles.html

Yikes! Look at the last pic! Glad the puffer was ok! http://www.uwphotographyguide.com/bobbit-worm

That Bobbit Worm looks like something out of tremors