Couple Unknowns

found a couple unknowns in my tank the last few weeks, the worm is bothering me the most cause I can't even get a good picture of it because if I shine a light or anything at it it goes back into the LR....


i think this is a pistol shrimp but wanted som1 t overify it, I was cleaning one of my LR's today and he came out of it, so i put him in a little quarintine.


tgood or bad snail? he would be the easiest removal because I see him almost every day...
i see this little worm pretty much every single night after i turn my light off, good or bad? I can attempt to get another picture of him but he is a tricky one.....

 

1. little snack - from the angle its not a pistol shrimp
2. Nassarius - good guy, sand sifter
3. bristle worm- mixs reviews on this guy if he is good or bad. all i know is just dont touch him with your bare hands you will be sorry.

 

thank you, how do people typically remove a bristle worm?

 

you can cut a soda bottle in half,
Put some food in it and place it on the bottom and turn off the tank lights
Check back in a hour or two
When you see him in there eaten dump him

Keep in mind bristle worms are like roachs, there is never just one

 

I'd leave him in there, they eat detritus and are a valuable cuc member, Corrailline has one the size of Nessie in her tank They make traps specifically for them for cheap, but I'd leave him be.

 

I agree with cosmo about the BW...leave it be...they're a great "freebie" member of your CUC (I've even seen them eat red cyano!).

You might want to bookmark our PICTORIAL HITCHHIKER GUIDE for future reference. Just find the pic of your critter and get a "good, bad, watch it" recommendation as well as additional info. I should add that this will be getting a face lift and new additions soon.

 

Rawdogz said it best

1. Unable to see the claws on the shrimp. Pistol shrimp have an enormous end section with a small claw on it. Possibly just a small feeder shrimp shouldn't be a problem and could add to your CUC (clean up crew)
2. Nassarius snail - Excellent to have. They eat detris and uneaten food. They hide in the sand and come out as soon as they smell fish food. Disappearing back into the sand moments later. They keep the top layer of the sand well stired. They do not eat any algae. and are 100% reef safe. Hermits love to eat them for their shells.
3. Common bristleworm I doubt there is any reefer that doesn't have these guys. They can grow to a good size but over all this type of bristleworm is no threat unless you touch them with bare hands. If you have one you have many. A six line wrasse can help you control the population but they feed during the day and the worms are mostly active at night.

 

I really don't think that's a nassarius snail. Many snails have a snout and that one's shell is not the right shape for a nassarius. I'd check with Pagojoe on that one.

 

Oh your right. I believe it may be a bumblebee. I was thinking the foot was kinda narrow too. Still a good member to your tank.

 

cool guys thanks, so the snail and shrimp I'll keep....The worm I'll keep too, because he doesn't seem to be doing any harm to anything, but I don't want t oge tthem out of control, so If that does come to happen I will try to thin out the population...

and ya I was skeptical about it being nassarius because I have two nassarius in my tank and he definetly looks diffrent then them, especially his shell.