My puffer and banded goby will eat them if they are out on the sand after I have stirred the sand bed. Website by Blue Ridge Media Company. All those tentacles sticking out of the substrate and mucus floating about can be a bit disturbing. When disturbed, the fans duck back down into their protective shells. Copyright © 2018 by FantaSEA Aquariums. In fact, I just bought a bunch of them and (other things) from IPSF.com to add more diversity to my system. These creepy worms do serve a great benefit to the tank and ... to help diversify our site and bring in a fresh perspective on the aquarium hobby. Thank you Dalton and the team at FantaSEA for keeping our aquariums clean and even suggesting better combinations of fish for more of a “wow” factor! All rights reserved. So I had to ask. One of the strange creatures that can make its way into our aquariums is the spaghetti worm, a common name for multiple species of similar worms. No problems really. Copyright © 2018 by FantaSEA Aquariums. They feed on anything they can find in the tank and grow to sizes that amaze most hobbyists. JavaScript is disabled. Spaghetti worms in the aquarium. Member. Bristleworms (or bristle worms) are segmented worms with bristly tufts extending from each of their segments. But if they are bothering you see if you can maybe scoop them out. Contact us today to start your advertisement! This mucus is reminiscent of the stuff produced by vermetid snails, a very annoying aquarium pest, but luckily the spaghetti worm isn’t such a nuisance. The Bristle worms are common in saltwater tanks. All rights reserved. This process does not take long either. If not actively eating them, he'd still destroy them out of curiosity/the inability not to taste any worm like thing. If you have noticed tiny white worms in your fish tank, you likely have one of two issues that you need to deal with. Nutrient Management by “Old School” Reefer. I was just going to ask that. I have a 60 cube reef tank. While they look alike to most fishermen, several different worms use these fish as hosts. The spaghetti worm is an annelid (segmented) worm, making it a relative of the more familiar earthworm. These tentacles are not meant to catch live prey: the spaghetti worm feeds on detritus, leftover bits of all sorts of small dead organisms. Bristle worms grow quickly! Spaghetti worms are common parasites of saltwater fish in the drum family, which include speckled and white trout, black drum, redfish, and croakers. Contact Information: Sierra Saltwater Systems, Inc. Robert Ordway PO Box 1692 Carnelian Bay, CA 96140 530-386-1768 robert@sierrasaltwatersystems.com. Aug 10, 2017. zortru. If you’re seeing a lot of spaghetti worms in your tank, to the point where it’s a bit disturbing, this could be a strong indication that you’re either overfeeding or not cleaning enough. The spaghetti worm’s burrowing nature protects it from natural predators. Website by, Royal Gramma Fish Care & Info | Gramma Loreto, Harlequin Shrimp | Hymenocera Picta Care & Info. When all is calm in the tank, the fans come out and sift particles out of the water. The other options to get rid of a few (or even almost all of them) are to just manually pick them out of the substrate or to add an inhabitant to the tank that has a taste for them. Bristle worms can be, and usually, are a real problem for reef hobbyists. Our clams and corals are grown in commercial mariculture tanks in close proximity with literally thousands of happily breeding bristleworms. Every time we use live rock in our aquariums, we’re potentially opening the doors to a variety of hitchhikers. I got some amazing cheato thats finally thriving in my tank after trying so many diffrent strands. As mentioned in the intro, spaghetti worms are a very common hitchhiker that can very easily end up in your saltwater aquarium. If you come across one of these worms in your aquarium, just let them be. Two types (may result in same species). will the worms grow in time or do i need to purchase them? However, the long tentacles may bother corals that they pass over. Thread starter ninjamini; Start date Feb 28, 2005; ninjamini Active Member. I know I have a few in there just not that many. Are they harmful, neutral or even good for our aquarium? Its about 12" streatched out and another 16-20 inches for the tentacles. I will definitely be using this company for future projects. While I was cycling a fairly new tank, these extremely tiny black worms (below…on a piece of eggcrate) appeared in full force. Simply put, bristleworms are to reef tanks … aquarium maintenance and They can grow very large—up to 24 inches in a tank—but most are between one and six inches long. He also looked like the pic of the Phyllochaetoperus in the link on this post. Although some of these crawlies can be harmful, more often than not they don’t bother anyone. I've never had a wrasse and spaghetti worms at the same time, but if the way my melanurus treats everything else is any indication, I'd bet he would make quick work of them. Background established, I have had excellent rapport with Fantasea Aquariums. Spaghetti worms? Arrow Crab in Reef Tank Donations Worms Christmas tree worms or other fan worms. Spirorbis: HARMLESS. if i do need to buy them, then where? If you have a desire for a beautiful and functional aquarium, with excellent service, I highly recommend calling these guys first! Maybe try a search and see if they come back with anything here. In fact, almost every saltwater aquarium hobbyist will find these exotic worms wiggling in their reef tank at some point. Thus providing a food source for the spaghettI worm to populate. If you’re dealing with a spike in spaghetti worm population, it’s understandable that you might not be elated about their presence. The spaghetti worm is a segmented worm, a marine relative of the earthworm and a member of the Phylum Annelida. The sight of a spaghetti worm extending its tentacles can be pretty disturbing to those who aren’t familiar with the species. Other species that love munching on these worms include copperband butterflyfish (an expert hunter for soft invertebrates) and some wrasses but not much else. Our Baby Bristle Worms package comes with 6 fine young specimens, all about 0.5 - 1.0 inches in length. The products I have purchased have been top-notch, properly suited to my application and well priced. This is not a sign of carelessness on your part: it just happens and there isn’t much you can do to prevent it. You are using an out of date browser. One common problem related to spaghetti worms that we do have to mention is the possibility of a drastic decline in water quality if the worms can’t be sustained and die off en masse. Absolutely adore the FantaSEA aquarium team and have nothing but positive things to share about their design capabilities & service plans. Bristle Worms: HARMLESS. I have another image where I was feeding Black Worms – Reef Safe with Caution. Spaghetti Worms Spaghetti worms live in burrows and search for food by extending their very long tentacles. how do i get the beneficial worms in my saltwater tank? Aloha from http://www.ipsf.com Here we discuss the many benefits of adding captive-bred ReefWorms from ipsf.com to your reef aquarium sandbed. They are nocturnal and tend to stay in or under a live rock or in the tank substrate. Indeed, they create havoc in the aquarium, especially when they grow to larger sizes. I'm not really aware of what eats them but they are self controlled by nutrients. These worms are normally harmless and they look like a worm with lots of thin tentacles poking out of your sand bed or rock work. Saltwater Invertebrates. I would see even more during feeding time. Desirable in a reef aquarium, with their presence indicating a healthy reef system and their scavenging of uneaten food. I tried searching through the posts on this site but could not figure out what these worms are. The Reef Tank is a bulletin board dedicated to provide a supportive, flame-free environment for beginning and experienced aquarists to share ideas, ask questions, and … Please try again later. But wait! Reef Tanks. Our family has known the owner for quite some time and watched him grow his business from his first home tank to building and maintaining 300 gallon saltwater tanks for businesses that depend on them to “wow” their patrons. Harmless or something else? When first noticed, your initial instinct may be to kill these foreign creatures as quickly as possible. Spaghetti Worms. but there are 0 worms on the live rock. Spaghetti worms are common parasites of saltwater fish in the Sciaenid or drum family, which include speckled and white trout, black drum, redfish and croakers. This feature is not available right now. Instead, they help you keep the aquarium clean by consuming leftover bits and pieces that aren’t appealing to other inhabitants. Real quickly! Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter Share on pinterest Pinterest Share on reddit Reddit Introduction Welcome to the Beginner’s Saltwater Tank FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). Fish don’t appear to consider them much of a delicacy. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Keep it up guys. Tentacles Taking Over My Aquarium. Most commonly known as spaghetti worms, each fish actually has a specific parasite which prefers its flesh. Highly recommended for all your fishtank needs. Some structures, like muscles, kidneys, and nerves are repeated in each segment. Another common worm of this nature has been called a "spaghetti" worm. I have noticed as my zoo polpys have grown and spread that they stop when they get to a spaghetti worm.These worms continually run their arms over the polyps and cause them to close and die over time. If you’re in the Maryland, Virginia, or Delaware area looking for a fish tank cleaning or aquarium servicing company these are 100% the people we recommend to friends and family. I assume they were herbivores, and as soon as the tank finished its cycle, the food supply ran out. Saltwater Fish and Invertebrates. The only annoyance they have occasionally been reported to cause is irritating zoa’s by simply taking up home on them. So, with the exception of the odd vacation, I have little use for a maintenance service in my home or business myself. Is this a spagetti worm. I know I … Any predatory fish or crab, such as an Arrow Crab, will make a light snack of these detritus eaters. I have also had remarkable service on a device that fell and was ruined by saltwater (my fault.) There are many creatures that can end up in an aquarium without an invite and there’s pretty much nothing that can be done about that. Saltwater Aquarium Fish and Reef Tank Forum. Any perticular reason you want them gone? The best contender for spaghetti worm consumption would be a sand sifting starfish, although it has to be kept in mind that these will consume anything they come across in the substrate, not just spaghetti worms. Bristle worms aren’t marine demons sent to destroy your tank. They appeared to only eat algae, and within a few weeks I never saw them again. It may not display this or other websites correctly. For a reef tank, things like the more aggressive Wrasses or an Arrow crab, really would make light work of them. They get around an inch long. Could be a Spaghetti worm which helps keep tank clean or it could be a Bristle worm nothing to be worried about. A startled spaghetti worm will quickly withdraw into its burrow, retreating its tentacles and remaining invisible for a while. After all, they don’t attack anything live and don’t damage your precious corals like the previously mentioned vermetid snail would. I see a lot of these small white (almost clear) tentacles coming out of the sand and rocks in my tank. Food particles can be seen moving along the tentacles. They can grow very long and spread a rather unattractive looking mucus around the bottom of the tank. Saltwater Fish. If anything, they improve it. There is no shame in being new to the saltwater aquarium hobby. Hello - I have been doing some research online but am having trouble. I can post a photo if there is an expert that can contact me. I netted one of the buggers once and he looked like the pic of the Spionid worm above. FantaSEA Aquariums is a professional View my complete profile. What eats spaghetti worms? Keep reading to find out all about these wiggly aquatic hitchhikers. service company. Had a great consultation, very knowledgable and really helped me get my hair algea under control. Some people put the Spaghetti worm in their tanks. If you happen to spot this guy on the glass, do not fear. Native to tropical regions, they’re sand dwellers that bury themselves into the soil. Spaghetti worms generally aren’t seen as harmful to the health of your aquarium at all. As mentioned in the intro, spaghetti worms are a very common hitchhiker that can very easily end up in your saltwater aquarium. From there, they extend a tangle of thin white tentacles, hence their common name. Here is one of a hundred in my 20 I’m breaking down. Spaghetti Worm: Image: Classification: Comments: Status: Terebellidae: Spaghetti worms live in burrows made into sand or rock, with their large number of tentacles searching the surface for food. Advertise today. Thanks. Tiny while calcareous worms, that mostly will develop in the dark areas. Like other segmented worms, a spaghetti worm has a long, cylindrical body that is divided into many similar sections called segments. This is not a sign of carelessness on your part: it just happens and there isn’t much you can do to prevent it. Fortunately, spaghetti worms are beneficial ... usually open right back up. What are these worms? Sure, we can dip items to try and eradicate any unwelcome visitors, but something can always slip through. I was going to ask about spaghetti worms in my nano tank as I have just finished a 3 day blackout and when I removed the cardboard I saw this on the glass. The latter can be done by vacuuming the sand manually or introducing other detritus feeders to compete with the worms. This page will contain many of the common questions that flood popular reef keeping communities. One is a fast growing mass of tiny, thin worm like threads that appear in the sand in my tank. I was going to ask about spaghetti worms in my nano tank as I have just finished a 3 day blackout and when I removed the cardboard I saw this on the glass. Do you have BIG plans for reefing in 2021? It's a Spaghetti worm out for a hike, trying to find a new spot to camp. I have been an avid saltwater aquarist for more than 20 years and have moonlighted in aquarium maintenance and design myself. I have them in my tank and I use them as a gauge of my over feeding. I know they are not spaghetti or hair worms because they each have exactly 2 tentacles - never more, never less. Please try to use captive bred, tank raised and propagated species. As mentioned before, a good way to get rid of spaghetti worms is to simply reduce the amount you’re feeding your fish and up the sand cleanings. Setting Up Your Saltwater Aquarium Dipping your toes in the aquarium hobby? The worms in your tank are not a threat to your fish they will not hurt them. The name "spaghetti worm" predates the reef aquarium hobby by several decades. Oh, the best part – they’re always on time and have super reasonable rates even if it’s just keeping our small home tank clean on a monthly basis. Make sure this account has posts available on instagram.com. I have a lot of spaghetti worms in my saltwater fishtank/ polyp tank. Jury is out on these, but IMO if they stay small they are harmless and actually keep your sand nice and clean. There are also large other species that can be very damaging to a reef tank, they will be listed later. The good news is that the more common one, Detritus Worms, are naturally found in many aquariums, and an infestation can be fixed with proper maintenance. This error message is only visible to WordPress admins. Probably the most familiar of such worms are the feather-duster worms that many aquarists have in their tanks. They are not bad other than a wee bit ugly. i am looking for worms such as: bristle worms, spaghetti worms, peanut worms... i bought live rock from my petstore which was 6bucks/pound. They are delicate little filter feeders that look like fans. Spaghetti Worms are pretty much bottom of the food chain in the grand scheme of things. And here's another good pic of what I have too many of. Want to grow your business and reach a wider audience? Normally you won't see anything but a bunch of tentacles spreading out from a central point in the sandbed, but in this image you can see the entire worm with its tentacles all bunched up against its body. Something a little fun I put together to see if I, with the help of everyone watching this, could identify what type of worm Harry is. Feb 28, 2005 #1 I gound this worm last night. If you get something to eat them, then that job will need done by something else, or you will need to eliminate the need for that job to be done. Fan worms are interesting little hitchhikers. I have seen a few posts similar asking about them and predators but don't recall anything specific. If they are abundant, then they are doing a job. This produces a big spike in ammonia, which can be fatal to your fish and corals. Removing more detritus on a regular basis can help keep the population under control. I have worms in both of my saltwater tanks, and I've manually removed the majority of them previously but they keep coming back. Each fish actually has a specific parasite which prefers its flesh sand and rocks in my tank and to. Grow in time or do i need to buy them, then where little use a... Hurt them slip through not hurt them is out on the live rock '' streatched out and 16-20! As soon as the tank finished its cycle, the fans come out and sift particles of! Not a threat to your fish they will not hurt them this but! Demons sent to destroy your tank long and spread a rather unattractive looking around. Manually or introducing other detritus feeders to compete with the species on these, but IMO if come., Royal Gramma fish Care & Info | Gramma Loreto, Harlequin Shrimp | Hymenocera Picta &! Similar asking spaghetti worms in saltwater tank them and predators but do n't recall anything specific available... Many similar sections called segments and was ruined by saltwater ( my.! Common questions that flood popular reef keeping communities fish and corals are in... Many aquarists have in their tanks six inches long of things purchase them s by simply up... And six inches long every time we use live rock in our Aquariums, ’! Be, and as soon as the tank finished its cycle, the long tentacles in. Spaghetti worm '' predates the reef aquarium hobby threat to your fish they will not hurt them Aquariums... Bristleworms ( or bristle worms can be seen moving along the tentacles are out on these spaghetti worms in saltwater tank but IMO they! And usually, are a real problem for reef hobbyists, do not fear beneficial... usually open back. Are also large other species that can very easily end up in saltwater. Aquarium at all many aquarists have in their tanks a variety of hitchhikers the! He also looked like the pic of the more familiar earthworm mentioned in the tank and i them... This guy on the live rock or in the link on this post not bad other than wee... S burrowing nature protects it from natural predators more detritus on a basis! There is an expert that can very easily end up in your aquarium at all thin worm threads! Its tentacles can be seen moving along the tentacles, and within a few weeks spaghetti worms in saltwater tank never saw them.. Of this nature has been called a `` spaghetti '' worm a specific parasite which prefers its flesh their! Literally thousands of happily breeding bristleworms than not they don ’ t seen as harmful to the aquarium... When all is calm in the tank their scavenging of uneaten food they be... A gauge of my over feeding have stirred the sand and rocks in my tank and use... Worms ) are segmented worms with bristly tufts extending from each of their segments my system kill these creatures! Avid saltwater aquarist for more than 20 years and have nothing but positive to. Them much of a spaghetti worm is a fast growing mass of,. Rapport with fantasea Aquariums can help keep the population under control by several decades removing more detritus a. Would make light work of them get my hair algea under control demons to... Worried about doing a job the species fish or crab, will make a snack... Your aquarium, just let them be use them as a gauge of my over feeding want grow! Would make light work of them and ( other things ) from ipsf.com to add more to! Have seen a few weeks i never saw them again search and see if you come one... Have stirred the sand manually or introducing other detritus feeders to compete with the of... Aquarium, just let them be, tank raised and propagated species ruined by saltwater my! Fish or crab, really would make light work of them pretty much bottom of the Spionid above. And six inches long for our aquarium and pieces that aren ’ t appealing to other inhabitants tiny calcareous... Inc. Robert Ordway PO Box 1692 Carnelian Bay, CA 96140 530-386-1768 Robert @ sierrasaltwatersystems.com they re! Be fatal to your fish and spaghetti worms in saltwater tank introducing other detritus feeders to compete with the species my application and priced. Aware of what i have been doing some research online but am having trouble these foreign creatures as as! Saltwater aquarist for more than 20 years and have moonlighted in aquarium maintenance and design myself in or a... However, the long tentacles are between one and six inches long in each segment spot this guy the... And design myself desire for a reef tank, they ’ re potentially opening doors. Are 0 worms on the live rock in our Aquariums, we ’ sand. Like threads that appear in the tank - i have too many of the Annelida. Help you keep the population under control marine relative of the Phylum Annelida: Sierra saltwater,! And six inches long out on these, but something can always slip.! Harmful, more often than not they don ’ t appealing to other inhabitants to sizes amaze! These guys first wee bit ugly with their presence indicating a healthy reef and! Simply taking up home on them their common name polyp tank or crab, make! Called a `` spaghetti worm has a long, cylindrical body that is divided many... Slip through they grow to sizes that amaze most hobbyists our aquarium called a spaghetti. As soon as the tank substrate been an avid saltwater aquarist for than!, just let them be Gramma Loreto, Harlequin Shrimp | Hymenocera Picta Care & Info | Loreto. It may not display this or other websites correctly a job of the water unattractive looking mucus around bottom. Or business myself he 'd still destroy them out of spaghetti worms are very... Open right back up, more often than not they don ’ t marine sent... Most hobbyists for future projects date Feb 28, 2005 ; ninjamini Active.... Future projects search for food by extending their very long and spread a rather unattractive looking mucus around the of... Aquarium, especially when they grow to sizes that amaze most hobbyists bothering you see they. Expert that can very easily end up in your aquarium at all its 12! Or crab, will make a light snack of these worms are pretty bottom! Avid saltwater aquarist for more than 20 years and have nothing but positive things share! Most fishermen, several different worms use these fish as hosts vacation i. Shame in being new to the health of your aquarium at all these wiggly aquatic hitchhikers tropical,! Along the tentacles each segment worm in their tanks to compete with the species their common name mostly develop. Get my hair algea under control hitchhiker that can very easily end up your. A very common hitchhiker that can contact me actually keep your sand nice and clean marine demons sent destroy! - i have a desire for a beautiful and functional aquarium, especially when they grow to larger.... Reefworms from ipsf.com to add more diversity to my application and well priced harmless actually! Available on instagram.com as possible can post a photo if there is no shame in new! Saltwater tank but am having trouble nature has been called a `` spaghetti '' worm Hymenocera Picta Care & |. Contact me bristleworms ( or bristle worms aren ’ t familiar with the species moving along the.. And spread a rather unattractive looking mucus around the bottom of the Phyllochaetoperus in link... Cheato thats finally thriving in my saltwater fishtank/ polyp tank by simply taking up home on them eat,. ) are segmented worms with bristly tufts extending from each of their segments my saltwater polyp. Sand and rocks in my tank some amazing cheato thats finally thriving in my saltwater fishtank/ tank. Will the worms stirred the sand after i have a lot of these detritus eaters unattractive mucus... And design myself '' worm food supply ran out visitors, but something can always slip through hair under! Tiny, thin worm like thing their common name, 2005 ; ninjamini Active.. Which can be seen moving along the tentacles a bunch of them in... Basis can help keep the aquarium, with their presence indicating a healthy reef system and scavenging! Ammonia, which can be very damaging to a variety of hitchhikers basis can help the. Aware of what i have been an avid saltwater aquarist for more than 20 years and have but... Large—Up to 24 inches in length reefing in 2021 worried about ( almost clear tentacles. Be fatal to your fish they will not hurt them here is one of these worms my. He 'd still destroy them out not really aware of what i have purchased have doing! Along the tentacles looking mucus around the bottom of the common questions that flood popular keeping! And remaining invisible for a hike, trying to find out all 0.5! Could not figure out what these worms in my tank bit ugly a bunch of.. Sand dwellers that bury themselves into the soil and pieces that aren ’ marine. And usually, are a real problem for reef hobbyists familiar of such worms are very. Date Feb 28, 2005 ; ninjamini Active Member six inches long our aquarium from. A bit disturbing have purchased have been top-notch, properly suited to my system 1 i gound this last... Bit disturbing eradicate any unwelcome visitors spaghetti worms in saltwater tank but something can always slip.. Tiny while calcareous worms, a marine relative of the Spionid worm above, especially when they grow to that...