Worms!!!

Discussion in 'Coral Health' started by Brunella, Dec 21, 2008.

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  1. Brunella

    Brunella Plankton

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2008
    Messages:
    13
    Location:
    Omaha
    Ugh! I have hardened bristle worms on my rock! I clean my rock with a soft toothbrush and scrape the hardened little worm casings off with the back of the brush. That was one problem, but now I have these nasty little reaching worms coming out of the tubes my featherdusters usually inhabited. The worms have been appearing much more lively since I did a very thorough cleaning of my tank. I plan on continuing to clean. The tank went neglected for a couple of months...biowheels werent spinning, protein skimmer wasnt foaming. I am not kidding, I spent 36 hours with my arm in that tank. My boyfriend has been working so much he cant take care of our 125 so she's all mine now. I cleaned every rock, sifted, vacuumed, rinsed filters, rearranged for days! These worms are driving me crazy!
    I have a coral banded shrimp, a bicolor pseudochromis, cardinal and oscilarus. I need to get another member of the family who won't eat anybody, isn't too sensitive that will eat these freaking worms! I also think that Mr. Big, my coral banded shrimp is eating my crabs. He's huge, probably close to 6 inches from claw to claw- I think he's just sucking them right out of the shells. I dont have any live sand in the bottom either...would that help with the worms? I dont think so but I know that Im getting too much algae because I don't have any.
    I was thinking a flame angel for the worms...
    Any suggestions? Please help! :-/
     
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  3. getinpora

    getinpora Coral Banded Shrimp

    Joined:
    Oct 13, 2008
    Messages:
    398
    Location:
    Kokomo IN.
    WOW!! i have always let my tank go natural meaning the little worms and the micro fanuna live like they would in the wild. now aiptaisa is a problem and a few others.you can see some pics. of some tanks by going to forms and then show off your tank. most of all read, read, read maybe some more people will join in on this one good luck
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2008
    1 person likes this.
  4. reef_guru

    reef_guru Humpback Whale

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2007
    Messages:
    2,753
    Location:
    joliet,il
    hearing this is why i nuke all my rock prior to starting a tank
     
  5. pgreef

    pgreef Fire Goby

    Joined:
    Dec 6, 2008
    Messages:
    1,344
    Location:
    Algonquin, IL
    Do you have a picture of these worms. Worms aren't bad unless they are eating something you don't want them to eat. They are part of your ecosystem and break down deitrius. I would leave them alone.

    If they are white with 2 or 3 tentacles in a tube they are probably spionid worms. They reach and and find food in your sand.

    Then there are spaghetti worms. My tank is full of these. Their tentacles are all over my sand bed.
    [​IMG]
     
  6. coral reefer

    coral reefer Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2006
    Messages:
    4,860
    Location:
    Wonderland
    Most of the living animals in a reef tank are beneficial or atleast won't hurt anything, unless they grow out of hand.
    Having said this, polychaete and other microcrustaceans and bacteria are excellent for any reef tank, even bristle worms remain a beneficial part of a symbiotic aquarium.