What is this and should I be concerned?

[L/B Block]

I think I see some rather large “worms” in the sump. Bristle worms perhaps?

If so-should I be concerned?

 

[SupraSaltyReefer]

Yep Bristle worms. A few are good to help eat the left over food but too many and they’ll take over your sump or tank.

 

[L/B Block]

Yep Bristle worms. A few are good to help eat the left over food but too many and they’ll take over your sump or tank.

I have only seen a couple in the sump but I will keep an eye out for them.,

 

[Kensington Reefer]

As noted...
A few are beneficial (there will always be some)

But ya kinda wanna avoid this:
Warning, not for the easy queasy

 

[Patio]

Wow on that vid!


Might need to fact check this but also might be helpful to know there are some potential options if you ever need help keeping worms in check.

 

[Coral reefer]

Yep Bristle worms. A few are good to help eat the left over food but too many and they’ll take over your sump or tank.

What do you mean by take over?

 

[Kensington Reefer]

What do you mean by take over?

I have seen a tank so infested, did partial water change.....then they spawned!
The tank looked like milk
Remedy was to empty the tank completely and start new...everything new

 

[JVU]

Agree they are bristle worms. They are good detrivores, don’t harm coral or fish generally, lots of people like having them.

Personally, I hate them and they sting me often when I’m not careful with my hands in the tank, especially at the junction of rock or frag disk and sand, or in my refugium. I’ll go through and remove tons of them from time to time with the benefit of nutrient export I guess. Whether or not you want them doesn’t really matter since you can’t get rid of them.

 

[Coral reefer]

I have seen a tank so infested, did partial water change.....then they spawned!
The tank looked like milk
Remedy was to empty the tank completely and start new...everything new

I’ve seen them spawn many times. Never really caused an issue for me

 

[SupraSaltyReefer]

What do you mean by take over?

Here’s my 10g with probably 100+ bristle worms. I over fed the tank since I like my clownfishes to be fat. That fueled the bristle worms as well from the uneaten food. Had to manually remove them.

 

[Darkxerox]

Those look like the kind I keep that really don't cause any trouble at all and are good scavengers of leftover food and dead snails etc. Pretty easy to tweezer out, I also have a trap you can use if you want to borrow it. Just always be wary about the underside of frag plugs and where you put your fingers.

Their free swimming epitokes (larvae) are super weird though at night sometimes and look like spinning curly cues. But often end up as food for other animals in the tank. My old Copperband would murder them all day, along with my mystery wrasse.

 

[L/B Block]

All very helpful info. Thanks everyone. That video @Kensington Reefer -wow.

I have a few in the sump. I do have a dottyback and a wrasse that prob keeps them in check in the DT . I don’t think I have seen one there even if they are there

 

[Chromis]

Unfortunately you can only keep one arrow crab per tank because they fight among themselves but they definitely enjoy tearing up the bristleworms.

 

[L/B Block]

View attachment 47775Unfortunately you can only keep one arrow crab per tank because they fight among themselves but they definitely enjoy tearing up the bristleworms.

Nice pic!

 

[Coral reefer]

View attachment 47775Unfortunately you can only keep one arrow crab per tank because they fight among themselves but they definitely enjoy tearing up the bristleworms.

I’ve never had long term success with them. Not sure how long they should live, but I stopped buying them because they don’t live long for me

 

[JVU]

I’ve never had long term success with them. Not sure how long they should live, but I stopped buying them because they don’t live long for me

Same here

 

[Chromis]

@Coral reefer @JVU How long is “not long”?

 

[JVU]

@Coral reefer @JVU How long is “not long”?

I don’t really know. Hard to notice exactly when they die since the ones I had hide most of the time. Between 6 mo and 2 years maybe? I’ve had 3 individually or so over the decades but haven’t tried again recently.

 

[Coral reefer]

@Coral reefer @JVU How long is “not long”?

Less than a year for sure. Maybe a few months most often. Maybe a food scarcity issue? Something by they don’t like about how I maintain tanks? Couldn’t figure it out and quit buying them. Same with copper bands for me. Although I’ve had copper bands last a year or two a few times

 

[richiev]

I remember @H2OPlayar having a big arrow crab in his tank. Curious if he had similar issues