# Centipede looking worm



## Emperor_Angel (Nov 2, 2010)

So I found a 6-7 inch centipede looking critter on my rock and I was wondering if it is harmful? I'll attach a pic shortly, it's pinkish brown.


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## carmenh (Dec 20, 2009)

Most likely a bristle worm. IMHO a valuable member of you clean up crew, though some folks don't like them...


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## Emperor_Angel (Nov 2, 2010)

http://s661.photobucket.com/albums/...view&current=photo-1.jpg&evt=user_media_share


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

yep its a bristleworm . scavenger and mostly harmless. good to have but dont touch it bc they give a nasty sting!


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## Emperor_Angel (Nov 2, 2010)

Is it harmless to my fish and coral as well? I just don't want this thing to suddenly damage my fish or coral lol


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## Taipan (Feb 12, 2012)

In general; it's pretty harmless. They are opportunistic, nocturnal, and eat detritus. Keep you eye on it now and then if you can. My mental 'limit' is about 12 inches for bristleworms. Around that size; it starts freaking me out. It goes from being a cute anomaly to being ugly and a menace in my mind. lol Then again...I'm a wimp.


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## teemee (Aug 29, 2009)

Wow - never actually seen bristle worms the sizes you guys are talking about.
I pulled a 20+" eunclid worm out of a tank a couple of years ago. scary was an understatement. Its now in the teaching collection at the ROM. 
Any weird, unusual inverts you might want to get rid of, just let me know!


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## Taipan (Feb 12, 2012)

That's even MORE scary. I had a bristleworm that was about 12" and I couldn't deal with it. Knowing it was in my display at that size. I tried everything to catch it/neutralize it. Nothing worked. I finally caved and tossed out the rock it was living in. Like I said....wimp. lol


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## Tim (Dec 11, 2011)

I love them and breed them in my fuge. My sand is quite clean because of them.

My ones in my DT are pretty big and eat the pellets that fall to the bottom.


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## Taipan (Feb 12, 2012)

You are a much braver person than I.....lol


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

Today you found just one . Tomorrow you will have hundreds.

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## Chromey (Sep 25, 2010)

Ive seen my Coral branded shrimp, AND my 6 line wrasse Eating them... I do have more, But not worried at all.


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## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

Don't accidentally touch them.... I had just moved, and was putting my live rock back into the tank. I had the rock in a garbage can. By the time I got to the bottom of the bin, I found a squishy thing.....










The culprit; tank is 18" wide. He isn't stretched out in the picture


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## teemee (Aug 29, 2009)

and they sting, to boot!


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## Emperor_Angel (Nov 2, 2010)

I have a phobia when it comes to centipedes so I used tweezers this morning and threw the ugly thing outside..end of that story. I understand they are opportunistic and after measuring it out at 12" I don't want to take any chances withy fish or anemones.


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## teemee (Aug 29, 2009)

Hey everyone,
Though unsightly, bristle worms are an awesome part of a clean up crew. 
Eunclid worms - what I had - will go after corallimorphs - and flatworms, depending on what type, can do all kinds of nasty. But bristle worms aren't really so bad.


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## Taipan (Feb 12, 2012)

.....What she said.....but I'm still a wimp......


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

Emperor_Angel said:


> I have a phobia when it comes to centipedes so I used tweezers this morning and threw the ugly thing outside..end of that story. I understand they are opportunistic and after measuring it out at 12" I don't want to take any chances withy fish or anemones.


that is why I am always using Coral RX when bringing home corals and even live rock

http://www.coralrx.com/

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