Found something different in my tank

jason5170

i have noticed a bunch of small worm looking things mixed in with the crushed coral. the only time i can see them is when all the lights are out. i use a flashlight and shine on the tank and where the cc is laying against the glass you can see them. they are kind of brown looking with red on each end. the largest i have seen was about one inch long. are these bad if so how do i get rid of them.
thanks,
jason

jason5170

i forget to mention they are covered with little legs

caferacermike

Bristleworms. Leave them there.

Not my image, found on Yahoo.

jason5170

thats them wasnt sure if they were a good thing or a bad thing, thanks

Matt

There Good For the Tank. They will come in Any Live Rock or sand.

jason5170

i also noiced alot of what looks like little fish in my lr. they are small and very fast. there eyes glow when the light hits them and they are like tan colored. They are about 1/4 inch long and about the size of a needle. any ideas lol????

caferacermike

Yep amphipods. You'll get loads of amphipods, copepods and decapods as well.

squiggles1

i have those same bristle owrms in my tank too. i mostly see mine crawling in and out of the little holes in the lr. a couple r pretty big, over and inch long

Matt

Heres a Trick to Spy on any Bristle worms. (Do this at Night)
If you have a Moon light shut it off.
Leave the Tank with no Lights on for about a Half Hour.
Then without turning any room lights on, Grab a Flash Light and Shine it all around and You are bound to see 1 of those little guys Walking around.

caferacermike

And it is not uncommon for them to be over 6 feet long either. A friend tore down a 30g that had one that was just a hair over 6' laid out. It was given to a friend with a 240g tank and you can still find it from time to time.