Bristle worm without bristles?

PotatoPig

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 7, 2023
Messages
923
Reaction score
890
Location
USA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Vacuumed this critter off the rocks today, about an inch long, looks kinda like a Bristleworm, but skinnier than most I seem to have and just looks like it has a ton of legs rather than the bristles. Is this just an odd looking bristleworm?

 

TehBrainz

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
631
Reaction score
450
Location
Charleston, SC
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hard to see its head in the video. Could be a dorvilleidae worm. Hopefully not a eunice.

Euthanize it and take a closer picture. If it's a dorcilleidae, they are beneficial and you'll most likely have more. If it's a eunice, then you did a huge favor for the tank. Either way, you should be able to get an ID and sleep better!
 

ISpeakForTheSeas

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 22, 2021
Messages
6,881
Reaction score
8,243
Location
United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
looks like it has a ton of legs rather than the bristles. Is this just an odd looking bristleworm?
Yeah, that's a bristleworm - the "legs" are the parapodia; the places where the bristles leave the worm's body.

Yours is probably a Dorvilleid worm, which is harmless/beneficial.
I think I have one of these in my tank. Are eunice worms the ones that appear to have 2 fish hooks as teeth?
They can be; as a general rule for the Eunicids we get in the hobby, if it has five tentacles on its head, then it's probably a Eunicid. Some Eunicids (like the infamous bobbit) are problematic, but others are harmless/beneficial like most bristleworms.
 

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal

Just another girl who likes fish
View Badges
Joined
May 14, 2019
Messages
13,659
Reaction score
20,313
Location
Spring, Texas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yeah, that's a bristleworm - the "legs" are the parapodia; the places where the bristles leave the worm's body.

Yours is probably a Dorvilleid worm, which is harmless/beneficial.

They can be; as a general rule for the Eunicids we get in the hobby, if it has five tentacles on its head, then it's probably a Eunicid. Some Eunicids (like the infamous bobbit) are problematic, but others are harmless/beneficial like most bristleworms.
Thank you! I hate when people lump all eunicid worms together...
 

WHITE BUCKET CHALLENGE : How CLEAR do you think your water is in your reef aquarium? Show us your water!

  • Crystal Clear

    Votes: 95 41.5%
  • Mostly clear with a tint of yellow

    Votes: 115 50.2%
  • More yellow than clear

    Votes: 7 3.1%
  • YUCKY YELLOW

    Votes: 4 1.7%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 8 3.5%
Back
Top