Bristleworm reef-safe?

[JMW]

Hi guys, found this on my sandbed, about 1cm long. Nice red on the body & legs. This is a bristleworm correct? Are they known to eat coral polyps?

Also, how big do they grow to?

[inwear]

Advisable to remove it ; as it can bred like rabbits if there are plenty of leftover food. Its a pest and can be unsightly once it grow in numbers. 

[JMW]

Advisable to remove it ; as it can bred like rabbits if there are plenty of leftover food. Its a pest and can be unsightly once it grow in numbers. 

Thanks for helping, inwear! Alright, out it goes then

[nemokit]

Bristle worms are excellent scavengers, but indeed, too many of them is pretty unsighted. My previous tank do have those worms around but they ignored my corals. (Not sure about clams as some have opening at the bottom which may be prone to bristle worms)

[Planted]

lost 1 cluster of zoas to it. totally gone... initially suspect only, then when lights off saw a few moving around and zoas size reduced greatly in the morning with bite marks... :S then thought leave for 1 more day, and my zoas completely gone...... situation more stable (no more lost of zoas) after I clean them off which i discovered SO MANY of them hiding within a GSP rock.

then in another fowlr tank, these are nice to clear the food.. post no harm and not getting too big, so I leave them alone for my pistol shrimp to play with.
(could hear some clicking sound at night.. )

Edited August 26, 2015 by Planted

[JMW]

lost 1 cluster of zoas to it. totally gone... initially suspect only, then when lights off saw a few moving around and zoas size reduced greatly in the morning with bite marks... :S then thought leave for 1 more day, and my zoas completely gone...... situation more stable (no more lost of zoas) after I clean them off which i discovered SO MANY of them hiding within a GSP rock.

then in another fowlr tank, these are nice to clear the food.. post no harm and not getting too big, so I leave them alone for my pistol shrimp to play with.
(could hear some clicking sound at night.. )

OMG sorry to hear about your zoas cluster! Some hitchhikers are really annoying & can do major damage man. I'm not taking any chances, taking them out if I see more... :/ 

[Seafront]

MElarnus wrasse should eat these worms. Some wrasse will clean up these worms and take it as food.

[Seafront]

After keeping wrasses i never seen in my tank again

[andrwsaurus]

Remove it !!