big bristleworm

[1979camaro]

Pulled this 6in puppy out this AM...finally was able to get ahold of him...ive been leaving the small ones but this guy was knocking over some polyps and I had about enough of it

 

[KimandRob]

Wow, where do you think you got them from? I don't want to get em.

 

[1979camaro]

generally they come in on live rock (as i think mine did as they congregate around one piece in particular), though there is nothing bad about them (as long as you dont touch em with your fingers) unless they are clearly causing problems with your corals...mine do not seem to snack on anything other than detritus, but this one was just too big and was knocking things over

 

[supahtim]

i wouldn't dare touch a bristle worm. lol

http://www.reefland.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9315

now that is a big worm...

Tim

 

[wayne]

Look in Fossa and Nilssons book - volume 1 - there's a picture in there of a 6 foot one some unlucky guy pulled out of his tank in Germany

 

[KimandRob]

YUCK

 

[1979camaro]

thats nuts...its only a 20g so i dont know where a 6' worm would go, they are amazingly fast little devils...

supahtim: i didnt actually touch him bare handed and i did wear gloves...i like my fingers normal sized, thank you very much

 

[supahtim]

lol well i'm glad for that! are you keeping it in your tank or getting rid of it?

Tim

 

[itchy armpits]

do they sting? enter your body? why shouldnt you touch it?

 

[1979camaro]

getting rid of it...

they stab their bristles into you which are poisonous...the little things are supposed to be damned near impossible to get out, like little tiny cactus spines that break off when you touch em...lots of problems with infections and what not

K

 

[dial]

i have used these for bait >>fishing (without the heads they bite) i didnt get any bristle on me, but we might have different ones here in ozz. i know sandworms are very similar.

cheers aron.