What is this? Worm a pest?

[suprastan]

Okay so today after feeding this huge wormish thing came out of one of my rocks, as well as another smaller one. Can someone Identify this and let me know if it is a pest, and if I should be worried? I have a green brittle star that seems to stay in that area all of the time, I assume to eat them, but today he wasnt around so I guess they had to eat and seen the coat was clear.. But as you can see from the pics the star quickly came back

Anyway any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[yogi]

That worm is huge. Hitchhiker??

 

[KathyC]

It is one of worms in the bristle worm family. Excellent detritus eaters. Just don't touch him, those bristles hurt like heck when they stuck in your fingers.
He is good for your tank as long as you don't have too many (which you will if you overfeed)

 

[suprastan]

Damn this is HUGE!!! I have seen other bristles before but nothing this extreme!!! WOW.. I guess a normal Bristle Worm trap wont work.. I guess its time to whip out the 2 Liter bottle!!! hah

 

[thirty6]

That would creep me the F out!

 

[FlyTekk]

Im do some research. I could have sworn that the small ones are okay for a reef. Big ones are not. And the way the bristles are formes look like an image ive seen once of a not good worm. Will look up and post back.

 

[jamesonwhiskey]

That worm is huge. Hitchhiker??

I'm assuming you mean the bristle worm (red) under the serpent star (green)... what eats bristle worms if you start having too many?

 

[FlyTekk]

Go to youtube and check good worm vs bad worm. By ipsfdotcom. Also google dr ron pest worms

 

[bonomo53]

most wrasses like six lines, coris and meloarus will eat smaller worms but i don't know what will eat that big guy

 

[skene]

that would be taken care of by larger wrasse quite possibly. if you do not happen to like it... put a shrimp in ladies stocking... place in the sand... when the bristleworms come out for food they will get trapped and just pull out and discard.

 

[suprastan]

I obviously dont like it if it is one of the bad worms. I have never seen anything like this before. I hope someone finds something conclusive on it. Like I said I believe there is more than one inside this rock.

 

[rookie07]

Its fine....good and beneficial to the tank....unless they get very hungry and are able to catch a sleeping fish (almost never an issue as we all over feed)
I think arrow crabs may eat bristle worms...check that yourself though.