Can anyone ID this worm?

[itsnicoleee]

Can anyone help me ID this worm?

[Deleted User 3]

bristleworm....

[Jneighbors]

That would be a bristle worm. Don't try to remove him by hand because the aftermath will hurt

 

bristleworm....

Quit beating me! I always try to comment first and you always beat me to it!

[itsnicoleee]

are they bad? how should I remove him then

[Jneighbors]

To be completely honest I would. Some people decide to keep them but when I find them I put them in the toilet and enjoy

[Deleted User 3]

That would be a bristle worm. Don't try to remove him by hand because the aftermath will hurt

 

 

Quit beating me! I always try to comment first and you always beat me to it!

 

WIN

 

are they bad? how should I remove him then

 

I keep mine. They eat leftover food, and poop and stuff. Never had an issue with them. If you have too many take some out every so often, with gloves! or suck them up in a turkey baster

[albertthiel]

are they bad? how should I remove him then

Most remove them but others keep them, as was posted.

 

Personally because they will reproduce, I remove any I see.

 

As pointed out do not handle with bare hands as you will end up with lots of bristles in your fingers and removing them is not easy, and the areas where they were can get infected.

 

Have you seen more than one (it probably came in with Live Rock).

 

Albert

[lakshwadeep]

They are fine, and that exact species/genus (Linopherus?, Eurythoe?) is extremely common. I have to disagree about most people, at least on this site, removing them. It's ironic that many people are more nervous about these animals while paying money for hermit crabs, which are also scavengers that are known predators of (paid) snails. If you're seeing a population boom, that is a sign of overfeeding, and the population will fall. Often, many people only see the largest individuals, not realizing there are dozens of smaller ones that remain unseen or nocturnal.

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/worms.html

 

As for stinging, as long as you don't "surprise" one by quickly sticking your hand under a rock, you should be fine. I've had them for years but never was stung.

[Deleted User 3]

They are fine, and that exact species/genus (Linopherus?, Eurythoe?) is extremely common. I have to disagree about most people, at least on this site, removing them. It's ironic that many people are more nervous about these animals while paying money for hermit crabs, which are also scavengers that are known predators of (paid) snails. If you're seeing a population boom, that is a sign of overfeeding, and the population will fall. Often, many people only see the largest individuals, not realizing there are dozens of smaller ones that remain unseen or nocturnal.

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/worms.html

 

As for stinging, as long as you don't "surprise" one by quickly sticking your hand under a rock, you should be fine. I've had them for years but never was stung.

 

I was stung! I have lil baby ones i see every so often, about 1/4" long. I just like them, they eat pellets when i feed Haven't seen one eat a snail. My hermits were snacking on a dying/dead one (I knew he was dying), but the bristle didn't even touch it. so.

[GokesReef]

My 20g has to have literally hundreds.. they cause no problem. I also carelessly bare-hand handle the rocks all the time and have never experienced irritation. Perhaps I'm just not allergic to them.

[primalurges]

Scroll to the top .. I believe in Long Island Sound, maybe came up from FLA in the warmer waters of the Gulfstream .. could be

 

My purple reel lobster snacks on them. I just consider them part of the tank ecosystem.