The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread

I think I've seen parts of worms like that moving through the rocks, but never in the open. Worms that big can take out small fish and snails. I've found these guys by accident too many times. I end up as bristly as they are. The bristles dissolve in vinegar, thankfully.

[shilala]

My bristle worms are red and little. Maybe an inch long and real skinny.
If they were 8 inches long and scary like that one, I'd be afraid to sleep.

[Blueface]

God I hate bristle worms.
I hat the itch!!!

Originally Posted by shilala

My bristle worms are red and little. Maybe an inch long and real skinny.
If they were 8 inches long and scary like that one, I'd be afraid to sleep.

I think the grow up into these big ones. Maybe not. There are a lot of different species.

[shilala]

Originally Posted by BC-Axeman

I think the grow up into these big ones. Maybe not. There are a lot of different species.

They've been in there for a long, long time. I watch the critters at night all the time, I leave a flashlight near the tank. If there was a Bigfoot in there I'd have discovered him by now. hehe

[Wolfgang]

There are a couple different types of bristle worms, or fire worms. First there are the normal ones you see in your tank that are red have hints of blue. They can be anywhere from 1" to 7" then there are what is called polychaete worms that can grow much longer and fatter. Eucinid worms are more of a night time predator than the bristle worms that just scavenge for the most part.

A word for the wise, If you do get stung by a bristle worm get a large bowl and fill it with tap water. Then heat the water to as high a temperature as you can handle. The heat of the water will dissolve the spines as well as the poison. Their poison is a heat soluble protein that if exposed to high temperatures soon enough will lessen the effects. Although you bay stilll be tingly for a few days.
(this technique also works well with lion fish stings too. But it still hurts like a mo fo)

NEW LIVE ROCK!!!!

Old stuff reading bubkis on parms, moving that over to the main tank tonight, new stuff in main tank as well, was fully cured already.

[Wolfgang]

Awesome to hear! Make tore to transfer the rock quickly to avoid any more die off. Sponges when exposed to air almost always die because air gets trapped inside them. I will be ecpecting a picture of your rockscape.

[sikk50]

My tank has bristle worms that are orange and you can see a blueish vein that runs down them. They're pretty fun to watch at night. They never harm anything, but when I'm cleaning and see them I generaly pull them out. They're quite the clean up crew though, when my shimp shed, they eat the shell. When a fish dies, they eat the body.

[fissure]

Originally Posted by darb85

NEW LIVE ROCK!!!!

Old stuff reading bubkis on parms, moving that over to the main tank tonight, new stuff in main tank as well, was fully cured already.

Is this the stuff you got shipped? If it wasn't submerged you might still get a little die off. Give the tank a week to be sure testing every couple days. Getting close!

[Wolfgang]

Originally Posted by sikk50

My tank has bristle worms that are orange and you can see a blueish vein that runs down them. They're pretty fun to watch at night. They never harm anything, but when I'm cleaning and see them I generaly pull them out. They're quite the clean up crew though, when my shimp shed, they eat the shell. When a fish dies, they eat the body.

Yup standard bristle worms are great reef scavangers. In my experience they dont harm anything unless they over populate the tank which could lead to a nitrate problem. But all in all they are a GREAT cuc supplemented with snails (and SOME crabs)

For enyone interested here is an article identifying different types of polychaete worms.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/rs/index.php

Interesting article on fireworms. The picture I took looks like it was the first kind and I also have thousands of the second kind. Who knows what else is in there. I have seen them spawn a few times.

[shilala]

Here's the worms I have. Dunno what they are. Any idea?
I read the article, but I still don't know.

[fissure]

Regular bristle Scott. Only time I remove them, is if there is way too many or they start getting big. Then they just go down to the basement sump.

[Blueface]

Bristle indeed.
If they are all over, grab them with with something and get them out of there.
They will multiply like crazy.
If not often visible, let them be.
They can itch for some folks.

[sikk50]

Scott those are the same type I have. They never even touched my shrooms, very neat little critters

so funny story time...

Was playing with the LR I just got in the tank and a snail started crawling on my hand. It freaked me the hell out. Freaky little buggers. Jeebus, Kasha is still laughing at me at this was an hour ago! Its not that funny, Ok maybe it is, but still...

Anyways, This is great rock too. Lots of Coraline.

Pics to come, but water has to clear up a bits

[Wolfgang]

Yup those are the normal kind Scott. There are quite a few but if you aren't having any water quality issues then dont worry about them. Just don't pet them they don't like that

aquascaped today, but its too cloudy to see in there, pics when it settles, which it should be by tonight!

Big cave in the middle, looks nifty. Got my refactometer today as well. sweet.

I have some calabration fluid for it, Pinpoint Salinity Monitor, 53.0ms Calibration Fluid,+-1%@77*/25*C

What should i be setting my refratometer to when i use that to calibrate?

Brad

cloudy pics...better ones laters!