Please help ID

[keeperofthe75]

I noticed this critter crawling over some live rock I bought at the LFS over the weekend. This rock is currently in a tub until I get rid of some algea on it. It is approximatley 5 inches long and maybe 1.4 wide. It has an irradescent look to its back when the light shines on it. I did a search and came up with what I believe to be a Bearded Fireworm. Is this correct? If so, will this and any others be harmful to my tank once the rock is introduced?
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/130269DSC01074r.JPG

[drummereef]

1.4 inches wide, really? Thats a wide load worm. I would bet it's just a britleworm which are good. True Fireworms feed on soft corals, hard corals, anemonies, and small crustaceans which obviously is bad.

[charlesr1958]

The term bristleworm covers a huge variety of worm family / genus groups. The common name of fireworms is used to describe the family of Amphinomidae, of which thankfully, has only a few members that are of danger to a reef tank. The majority of them are scavengers or predators of other small worms. To get a an ID of the one above and to determine it being reef safe or not, a close / in focus photo of its head structures would be needed.

Chuck

[keeperofthe75]

Drummer,
Gues I should proofread my posts. That should be 1/4". :D
Even if it is a bristle I think seeing this thing in my tank would creep me out every time I saw it.

[Kgoarmy17]

Looks like a bearded fireworm to me. A true way to tell is if you take a fish net and use the hand end. If you GENTLY poke him, touch him. The hairs on both sides of his body will usually flare a bright white and he will curl upward towards the aggressor. These hairs are different from the ones on the outside. Although the hairs present on your worm look more of a juvenile worm. The worms can reach up to 12inches, most commonly 4-6 though.

Are you going to keep him? At 5 inches he can probably do some damage in your tank, or to the livestock within. :P

[Janina]

I have one of these in my tank too. Did you even find out whether it was a vearded fireworm or not?

[venwu225]

Unlike what kgoarmy17 suggests, the animal in question in for sure not a Hermodice carunculata, they look very different.
http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=292

The animal is a Eurythoe complanata, the worm is a highly beneficial scavenger. They are not predatory.

[Kgoarmy17]

I had a juvenile bearded fireworm years ago that looked simliar to the above picture. He turned fat and hairy as he grew up. However, Eurythoe complanata may be correct. In any case its in the annelida phylum.

Easier to state:
Fireworm/Bristleworm sp. :D

Nice link btw ven, very informative and a great picture of the specimen.

[ReefRascals]

Yup, definitely a worm Lol