Why are bristle worms considered harmful to reef aquariums?

I saw one last night in my 55 gallon reef tank. Should I be concerned? Will the worm harm anything in my tank? I have 3 fish, snails, hermit crabs, soft and hard corals.

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4 Responses to Why are bristle worms considered harmful to reef aquariums?

  1. danielle Z says:

    I’ve never heard they are harmful to reef’s. That is where these worms are found. I keep them in my reef tanks since they make the best clean up crews. They will eat 10 times the amout of any crab or snail. I encourage those who have reeft tanks to not destroy them if they find them in the tank.

    There is nothing in your tank they will harm. You are the one that needs to be careful as to not grab one by accident.

    You can actually buy a bristle worm cleaning crew pack for salt water tanks.

  2. BcAquatics.com says:

    this is up to debate… i personally dont like them, but they arent really considered to be harmful to a reef tank,

    Bristle worms are considered good because they dig in the sand which basically brings oxygen to the substrate and helps the tank overall.

    I dont like them because they will grow rather large and can move some corals that arent secrue. And they arent pleasent to look at.

  3. Tara & darren C says:

    some are some arn’t
    im not sure if this site is reliable as i dont keep a reef http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/msubpestbworm/a/aa102198.htm

  4. eyesinthedrk says:

    bristle worm is a general term for 100s of worms, that include the
    Phyllodocidae
    Hesionidae
    Eunicids
    Syllidae
    Nereids
    Lumbrinerids
    Oenonids
    and many more

    Amphinomidae are the common bristle worm we find and of these only 1 Hermodice carunculata, rarely found in aquaria, preys on coral,

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