Is this a bad worm?

[mer-lady]

I found this a hour ago crawling across a rock. Anyone know what it is? Is it bad?

 

[Anonymous]

Class: Polychaeta.
genus: unknown
species: unknown

This is a Bristleworm. Most of these worms are considered the good guys.
With literaly thousands of of species it would be impossible to ID. They are great scavengers, sand stirrers, detrivores and people pay money to get them.
As stated above most of these are harmless to tank inhabitants but beware of picking these up by bare hands as they can pack a pretty good sting.

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[John_Brandt]

Polychaete it is. But this one is a different family than the fireworms. This is a Polynoid (scale worm). Notice the plate-like scales on the back. Very cool and not so common in reef tanks.

 

[mer-lady]

Should I keep him?

 

[Baianotang]

yes cool

 

[Anonymous]

Are the two pics of the same creature?

 

[mer-lady]

yes they are the same. The scales are the top, the other is the bottom.

 

[Anonymous]

Ah, I see. It does look like a polynoid worm. I suggested someone had one of these a while back, but it turned out to be something else. I've never seen one in a reef tank, and this is the first I've heard of one hitching. Congrats! From what I understand they commonly associate with echinoderms in nature.

 

[Neal]

Hey I'm new so how the heck do I see these pictures :evil: