White worms in protein skimmer, please help.
- Thread starter aquatek
- Start date
I don't know what their exact name is, some form of a tube worm. They are perfectly normal. I still see them in my skimmer that has not beem used for a few years. They were everywhere.Their shells still are.
They also can tell you if there is a problem in the tank. I had a huge dieoff when my salinity was creeping too high. They are a nice thing to have.
HTH
They also can tell you if there is a problem in the tank. I had a huge dieoff when my salinity was creeping too high. They are a nice thing to have.
HTH
A Worm Problem?
I bought some rocks (approx. 5lbs.) that were in a display tank at the fish store. When I got it home and in my 29gal. sw tank, i later noticed that every time I fed the fish their flake food or fed the anemones their brime shrimp these worms that are half pale pink and half dark purple almost black would start coming out of every hole in this rock. They have hundreds of tiny white/clear legs like a centipede, they're not very quick, and some of them are long. I've seen some come out of their hole 5-6 inches and who knows how much of their body is still in the hole. Anyway, I have now discovered them in almost all of my big rocks and one rock must have at least 20-25 worms in it. Are these bad? Also I have anemones on these rocks. Can they hurt my anemones? If they are bad, is there anything I can buy to get rid of them?
I bought some rocks (approx. 5lbs.) that were in a display tank at the fish store. When I got it home and in my 29gal. sw tank, i later noticed that every time I fed the fish their flake food or fed the anemones their brime shrimp these worms that are half pale pink and half dark purple almost black would start coming out of every hole in this rock. They have hundreds of tiny white/clear legs like a centipede, they're not very quick, and some of them are long. I've seen some come out of their hole 5-6 inches and who knows how much of their body is still in the hole. Anyway, I have now discovered them in almost all of my big rocks and one rock must have at least 20-25 worms in it. Are these bad? Also I have anemones on these rocks. Can they hurt my anemones? If they are bad, is there anything I can buy to get rid of them?
(im netta)these worms that are half pale pink and half dark purple almost black
Sounds like a bristle or fire worms. Does it look something like this guy?
http://shop.uwphoto.no/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=esv109cd03
Sounds like a bristle or fire worms. Does it look something like this guy?
http://shop.uwphoto.no/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=esv109cd03
That picture is very close. The body and the legs are pretty much a match except the body in the picture had horizontal lines all the way down the back; mine don't have that. Also they are not that color at all. Starting at their head as they come out of their hole is all solid white/pale pink for the first half of the worm. As they come farther out, they go from white to dark dark purple almost black. It looks like someone took an all white worm and an all black worm and attached them end to end. But I have never once seen one come completely out of its hole. It comes out so far for food and then retracts back in so technically I don't know if they are half white half black. For all I know (which is definately blonde) they could have other colors farther down their back that I can't see unless they come all they way out; which hasen't happened the whole time I've become aware of them. (6 1/2 months) Also worms in your picture appeared rather fat. My worms are about as thick as a cooked speghetti noodle. Any info?
im netta: maybe a brittlestar leg? i have three or so, and when i first saw them, i thought they were little worms (until i finally saw the central disc)
you say you have anemone on your rocks? how long have you had your tank set up? are you just starting? unless you knowingly added anemones, they may be nuisance aiptasia anemones
you say you have anemone on your rocks? how long have you had your tank set up? are you just starting? unless you knowingly added anemones, they may be nuisance aiptasia anemones
thanx for the input. I found out that they are bristleworms. What eats those worms?
dbacksrat: I bought two Purple Atlantics and a cluster of about 6 or 7 Angalias anemones. Can the worms hurt the anemones? Do you know anything about their behavior? My smaller purple atlantic has taken an odd interest in the new angalias. the angalias are clustered together with a rubberband to a rock and the purple atlantic keeps on circling it and crawling onto the sides and top of it. Does the purple not like the angalia? is the purple harming the angalia by crawling all over it?
FYI: 29gal. saltwater; 2 damsels; 2 clowns; 2 snails; 1barbershop shrimp; 1 peppermint shrimp; 1 small flat dark blue rock crab???; 1 BIG hermit crab; 1 anemone crab; and 1 grasshopper lookin' thingy
dbacksrat: I bought two Purple Atlantics and a cluster of about 6 or 7 Angalias anemones. Can the worms hurt the anemones? Do you know anything about their behavior? My smaller purple atlantic has taken an odd interest in the new angalias. the angalias are clustered together with a rubberband to a rock and the purple atlantic keeps on circling it and crawling onto the sides and top of it. Does the purple not like the angalia? is the purple harming the angalia by crawling all over it?
FYI: 29gal. saltwater; 2 damsels; 2 clowns; 2 snails; 1barbershop shrimp; 1 peppermint shrimp; 1 small flat dark blue rock crab???; 1 BIG hermit crab; 1 anemone crab; and 1 grasshopper lookin' thingy
Last edited:
