Worm?

ski1297 · 01-05-2005, 11:15 AM

Last Night at about 2:00 am in my tank after the lights were out for about 5 hours. I saw a worm that was about a 1/4" to 1/2" that was red on each end and black in the middle. Does any one know what kind of worm it is? Good or Bad? Tanks been up for about 1 year.

Thanks
Ryan

tdwyatt · 01-05-2005, 12:04 PM

99% of the worms you'll find in live rock or in the substrate are carbon processing polycheates known as bristleworms in the hobby. The eat the stuff that other organisms poop or leave behind after feeding. They are highly beveficial to your system and should be encouraged.

There are a VERY small number of worms that do eat corals, but unless you see evidence of their feeding on your coral specimens, I wouldn't worry about the visual sighting of a few benthic specimens. You most likely have many many more that what you're seeing.

hth

ski1297 · 01-05-2005, 12:26 PM

Thank you tom just wanted to find out if they were good or bad. Sounds like they are good. I know it is good to have bristleworms. Just want to play it safe. I also have a lot of very very little shrip little things that live in the crushed rock. Not mantis shrimp. I have seen big mantis shrimp and they do not look any thing like that.

Thanks You Guys and Girls Rock!

tdwyatt · 01-05-2005, 12:58 PM

Check this site out

ski1297 · 01-05-2005, 01:26 PM

I will try to post some pics of what i have. that page was very good. The pic of the matins shrip got me thinking about my shrip like guys i can see in my rock base. they are a little more round not so long. but all most same color. I know matins shrips when they get bigger can all most kill any thing they want, But when they are very very small they should not be that bad?????

Ryan

ClamIAm · 01-05-2005, 06:18 PM

Mantis shrimps come in a bunch of different colors but all look similar in body type. A telltale sign of mantis shrimp is a clicking or popping noise. If you can post a picture I'm sure we can tell you whether or not its a mantis.

tdwyatt · 01-05-2005, 09:47 PM

yup, pictures, and something for scale if possible. Take the picture of the specimen in question, then place a dime in the same spot and take another pic for scale. Some very small and juvi shrimps look very similar, so the news is not as desperate as it may seem.

Don't worry, bee happy...

you have copepods and ghost shrimps most likely.