Do you kill bristleworms?
 

Yesterday night I saw a bristleworm that was at least 2 foot long and as thick as my finger in the tank, when I turn ont he lights. I am normally not squimish about worms but this guy actually startled me. It was like a monster. Should I try to trap it and get rid of him or should I let him be. I have a reff tank with hermits and SPS.

I generally don't like to kill living creatures, but is he doing more harm than good? I am sure I have smaller bristles in the tank.

Opinions?

I would guess it as a Eunicid worm. They will eat some Zoas and polyps in your tank.

Chris

How big is your tank? I've prob got about 20-30 in my 35g and they don't seem to harm anything. From what I've read it seems that people only recommend taking them out if you're worried about getting stung.....if not then no worries.

My basic strategy is to catch em as I see em....I don't actively hunt them but I'll siphon one out if its catchable......I'd prob try and catch that 2-footer though...good luck

Did it look anything like this?

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=50897

Ewww. Once it's worthy of being in the plot of a movie, it might be time for it to go :biggrin:

if you have no dammage you suspect is frome something eating a coral.. then no worries, he will be a great detravoir and untill the time you start suspecting mysterious dammage I say leave him. a picture would realy help in telling what kind of worm it is.

I had two monsters in my old tank, one I had to get rid of and one stayed in the tank till I tore it down. remember some times you can do more dammage to the tank trying to get a monster out than he would cause in the tank.

Steve

Chowder you are right. It is a Eunicid word. After reading and looking at SAMW post. It is exactly the same only a bit bigger. It would explain the clicking I have heard in my tank for the last 5 years. No pistol shrimp or peacock shrimp. I was wondering all those missing Zoos frags and sometimes missing inverts, I thought they melted or something. This would explain why my boxing zoos were gone next day after I placed them in a darker part of the tank.

I guess I need to catch him. I was really shocked and startled when I saw the thing. I guess he has been in there for over 6 years in my humble 50 gallon tank. He gives me the hebe jebes.

Happy hunting. :) Maybe someone will want to give it a nice home. They aren't as common as the regular bristle worm so someone may like to collect it. :)

little bristle worms are fine big worms are super creepy , and that huge bittey worm you have is down right skin crawlingly gross!

KILL HIM :twised: I give every one I catch a chance for life in our sewer system :lol: