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[Reeftime99]

So I started cycling a tank today with some rocks purchased from a person on this forum(I won't name) . So I just got home and to my surprise , there's some hitchhikers I didn't see earlier. I see a few aiptasia , but the creepiest 3 inch multicolored worm with spikes books it in the rocks from my light. I'm guessing it's a bristleworm, but I've never encountered one before so I'm curious what to do about both of my new tank mates ?

 

[wickedfish]

So I started cycling a tank today with some rocks purchased from a person on this forum(I won't name) . So I just got home and to my surprise , there's some hitchhikers I didn't see earlier. I see a few aiptasia , but the creepiest 3 inch multicolored worm with spikes books it in the rocks from my light. I'm guessing it's a bristleworm, but I've never encountered one before so I'm curious what to do about both of my new tank mates ?

In a bucket can you inject kalk paste into thevmouth of the aiptasia? If not in that same bucket get a sharp scraper like for scraping paint and take it from the root. If you really want it all dead pressure wash it to death. I would try to kill the buggards unless you see 3 or more, do the pressure wash. Bristle worms are detritus eaters so they are good unless it's like the size of a sausage, then remove it. Do a search on Oregon reefer and the massive bristle worm he had in his system.

 

[lovingacans]

In a bucket can you inject kalk paste into thevmouth of the aiptasia? If not in that same bucket get a sharp scraper like for scraping paint and take it from the root. If you really want it all dead pressure wash it to death. I would try to kill the buggards unless you see 3 or more, do the pressure wash. Bristle worms are detritus eaters so they are good unless it's like the size of a sausage, then remove it. Do a search on Oregon reefer and the massive bristle worm he had in his system.

+1^^^

 

[El Dude]

In the anonymous members defense...these things can go unnoticed. Aiptasia can thrive within the cracks of the rock work. Bristle worms are cryptic AND nocturnal. I'm not taking sides, I'm just saying that these can go unnoticed. Now if the reefer said they were pest free, then that's another story...

I would throw the rock into a bucket full of water and kalk the aiptasia then treat the water with Revive, CoralRx or some other coral dip overnight. This should take care of all the pests, even the ones you can't see.

 

[wickedfish]

A nice read and visual.
http://www.oregonreef.com/sub_worm.htm

 

[Reeftime99]

A nice read and visual.
http://www.oregonreef.com/sub_worm.htm

You gotta be kidding me! Dude really...

 

[Reeftime99]

 

[Reeftime99]

I don't have a pressure washer available and it's in the tank... There's nothing in the tank now so is there something i can dose?

 

[Evanski9]

Godzilla!


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[Reeftime99]

Are they easy to grab with some tongs?

 

[El Dude]

Are they easy to grab with some tongs?

Not really. You would need tweezers but they can sense the water pressure change as your hands comes close and they will retract/hide. Personally I would take all the rock out and cleanse it with fire. Then reseed it. I just really hate worms.

 

[wickedfish]

I don't have a pressure washer available and it's in the tank... There's nothing in the tank now so is there something i can dose?

Get a yellow coris wrasse. Or a melanurus they eat bristle worms up, YOM YOM, I haven't seen one in months my melanurus eats em up like freshly perfumed pooty.

 

[Reeftime99]

I've only seen that one... Is there a good chance there's many? How common are these guys?

 

[El Dude]

I've only seen that one... Is there a good chance there's many? How common are these guys?

They're like roaches...so yeah there's a 99% chances there are more. They're somewhat common...but many people keep wrasses just to take care of this problem.

 

[BluRocket3]

Melanurus wrasse for the win! He'll keep your tank pest free, best money I spent on a fish...except my sand bed isn't deep enough for him so he kicks up the sand on my coral...

 

[SchnitzelReef]

I don't have a pressure washer available and it's in the tank... There's nothing in the tank now so is there something i can dose?

Don't stress the worms, it's not that big of a deal. The worms just help keep your tank clean. Get a wrasse just to keep them in check. I have a yellow corris wrasse and I rarely see them now. Take the rocks out and put some crazy glue over the Aptasia. If your tank is mature with corals on the rocks, this is hard to do. I had an Aptasia on one of my rocks with no corals, and the glue took care of it.

And you make it seem like the guy that sold you the rocks screwed you over... If he sold them to you as live rock, then hitch hikers are almost guaranteed. Just an FYI. (unless he sold them to you as premo hitchhiker free, but that's almost impossible if it's considered "live rock")


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[jessesoto33]

+1 On adding super glue gel, and +1 on bristle worms being beneficial, I added some to my tank!

 

[Reeftime99]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I actually caught a bristleworm last night with the big tweezers... I put him in a specimen cup with no water and he was still in it this morning moving around. I'm sure there's more though

 

[Reeftime99]

Don't stress the worms, it's not that big of a deal. The worms just help keep your tank clean. Get a wrasse just to keep them in check. I have a yellow corris wrasse and I rarely see them now. Take the rocks out and put some crazy glue over the Aptasia. If your tank is mature with corals on the rocks, this is hard to do. I had an Aptasia on one of my rocks with no corals, and the glue took care of it.

And you make it seem like the guy that sold you the rocks screwed you over... If he sold them to you as live rock, then hitch hikers are almost guaranteed. Just an FYI. (unless he sold them to you as premo hitchhiker free, but that's almost impossible if it's considered "live rock")


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I didnt mean for it to come off like that.. Ive always bought my rocks from lfs, and ive never had a boat load of critters,I was just a little shocked last night.. I've had the rocks for a couple weeks now, now all a sudden I have all this things coming out of the wood work. Definitely a learning process

 

[SchnitzelReef]

Ok that's cool. If you really want to catch a bunch of the worms, but a plastic coke bottle in the tank with some mysis in the bottle. The worms will go in after the food and then get stuck. Just make sure the end of the bottle is close to the rock. Google work trap or something like that and you will see pics, works pretty good.


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