All those tentacles sticking out of the substrate and mucus floating about can be a bit disturbing. As mentioned in the intro, spaghetti worms are a very common hitchhiker that can very easily end up in your saltwater aquarium. When first noticed, your initial instinct may be to kill these foreign creatures as quickly as possible. They are nocturnal and tend to stay in or under a live rock or in the tank substrate. This produces a big spike in ammonia, which can be fatal to your fish and corals. Some structures, like muscles, kidneys, and nerves are repeated in each segment. I see a lot of these small white (almost clear) tentacles coming out of the sand and rocks in my tank. It may not display this or other websites correctly. The name "spaghetti worm" predates the reef aquarium hobby by several decades. Saltwater Fish and Invertebrates. Black Worms – Reef Safe with Caution. While they look alike to most fishermen, several different worms use these fish as hosts. Sure, we can dip items to try and eradicate any unwelcome visitors, but something can always slip through. Bristleworms (or bristle worms) are segmented worms with bristly tufts extending from each of their segments. 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. The worms in your tank are not a threat to your fish they will not hurt them. Other species that love munching on these worms include copperband butterflyfish (an expert hunter for soft invertebrates) and some wrasses but not much else. Two types (may result in same species). how do i get the beneficial worms in my saltwater tank? I tried searching through the posts on this site but could not figure out what these worms are. As mentioned in the intro, spaghetti worms are a very common hitchhiker that can very easily end up in your saltwater aquarium. Arrow Crab in Reef Tank Donations Some people put the Spaghetti worm in their tanks. If anything, they improve it. There are also large other species that can be very damaging to a reef tank, they will be listed later. What are these worms? 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 … Our Baby Bristle Worms package comes with 6 fine young specimens, all about 0.5 - 1.0 inches in length. Keep reading to find out all about these wiggly aquatic hitchhikers. The products I have purchased have been top-notch, properly suited to my application and well priced. They can grow very long and spread a rather unattractive looking mucus around the bottom of the tank. 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. 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! The spaghetti worm is an annelid (segmented) worm, making it a relative of the more familiar earthworm. Worms Christmas tree worms or other fan worms. Food particles can be seen moving along the tentacles. Contact us today to start your advertisement! Do you have BIG plans for reefing in 2021? They feed on anything they can find in the tank and grow to sizes that amaze most hobbyists. This is not a sign of carelessness on your part: it just happens and there isn’t much you can do to prevent it. All rights reserved. Any predatory fish or crab, such as an Arrow Crab, will make a light snack of these detritus eaters. if i do need to buy them, then where? 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. Fan worms are interesting little hitchhikers. It's a Spaghetti worm out for a hike, trying to find a new spot to camp. I have worms in both of my saltwater tanks, and I've manually removed the majority of them previously but they keep coming back. This is not a sign of carelessness on your part: it just happens and there isn’t much you can do to prevent it. Indeed, they create havoc in the aquarium, especially when they grow to larger sizes. I have been an avid saltwater aquarist for more than 20 years and have moonlighted in aquarium maintenance and design myself. I can post a photo if there is an expert that can contact me. My puffer and banded goby will eat them if they are out on the sand after I have stirred the sand bed. Maybe try a search and see if they come back with anything here. The latter can be done by vacuuming the sand manually or introducing other detritus feeders to compete with the worms. In fact, almost every saltwater aquarium hobbyist will find these exotic worms wiggling in their reef tank at some point. Aug 10, 2017. zortru. Member. Most commonly known as spaghetti worms, each fish actually has a specific parasite which prefers its flesh. Spaghetti worms in the aquarium. service company. Instead, they help you keep the aquarium clean by consuming leftover bits and pieces that aren’t appealing to other inhabitants. I was just going to ask that. Desirable in a reef aquarium, with their presence indicating a healthy reef system and their scavenging of uneaten food. Hello - I have been doing some research online but am having trouble. They appeared to only eat algae, and within a few weeks I never saw them again. Could be a Spaghetti worm which helps keep tank clean or it could be a Bristle worm nothing to be worried about. If you have noticed tiny white worms in your fish tank, you likely have one of two issues that you need to deal with. Real quickly! 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. 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. They get around an inch long. For a reef tank, things like the more aggressive Wrasses or an Arrow crab, really would make light work of them. What eats spaghetti worms? Please try again later. View my complete profile. I netted one of the buggers once and he looked like the pic of the Spionid worm above. Simply put, bristleworms are to reef tanks … I have another image where I was feeding Fortunately, spaghetti worms are beneficial ... usually open right back up. Nutrient Management by “Old School” Reefer. 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. I have seen a few posts similar asking about them and predators but don't recall anything specific. Spaghetti Worms Spaghetti worms live in burrows and search for food by extending their very long tentacles. Bristle worms can be, and usually, are a real problem for reef hobbyists. 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 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. Thanks. Please try to use captive bred, tank raised and propagated species. Saltwater Aquarium Fish and Reef Tank Forum. Reef Tanks. Saltwater Fish. Spaghetti Worms. Feb 28, 2005 #1 I gound this worm last night. If not actively eating them, he'd still destroy them out of curiosity/the inability not to taste any worm like thing. Tiny while calcareous worms, that mostly will develop in the dark areas. I'm not really aware of what eats them but they are self controlled by nutrients. Had a great consultation, very knowledgable and really helped me get my hair algea under control. Probably the most familiar of such worms are the feather-duster worms that many aquarists have in their tanks. When all is calm in the tank, the fans come out and sift particles out of the water. Any perticular reason you want them gone? I know they are not spaghetti or hair worms because they each have exactly 2 tentacles - never more, never less. They are not bad other than a wee bit ugly. If you come across one of these worms in your aquarium, just let them be. There is no shame in being new to the saltwater aquarium hobby. Thread starter ninjamini; Start date Feb 28, 2005; ninjamini Active Member. After all, they don’t attack anything live and don’t damage your precious corals like the previously mentioned vermetid snail would. Setting Up Your Saltwater Aquarium Dipping your toes in the aquarium hobby? Another common worm of this nature has been called a "spaghetti" worm. So I had to ask. They are delicate little filter feeders that look like fans. No problems really. Keep it up guys. Although some of these crawlies can be harmful, more often than not they don’t bother anyone. 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. From there, they extend a tangle of thin white tentacles, hence their common name. This process does not take long either. Like other segmented worms, a spaghetti worm has a long, cylindrical body that is divided into many similar sections called segments. 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. But wait! I would see even more during feeding 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. This error message is only visible to WordPress admins. Bristle worms grow quickly! FantaSEA Aquariums is a professional Is this a spagetti worm. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Make sure this account has posts available on instagram.com. Spirorbis: HARMLESS. The sight of a spaghetti worm extending its tentacles can be pretty disturbing to those who aren’t familiar with the species. Highly recommended for all your fishtank needs. Copyright © 2018 by FantaSEA Aquariums. Our clams and corals are grown in commercial mariculture tanks in close proximity with literally thousands of happily breeding bristleworms. I have a 60 cube reef tank. In fact, I just bought a bunch of them and (other things) from IPSF.com to add more diversity to my system. 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. Bristle Worms: HARMLESS. The Bristle worms are common in saltwater tanks. If you happen to spot this guy on the glass, do not fear. Absolutely adore the FantaSEA aquarium team and have nothing but positive things to share about their design capabilities & service plans. 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. 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. All rights reserved. I have them in my tank and I use them as a gauge of my over feeding. These tentacles are not meant to catch live prey: the spaghetti worm feeds on detritus, leftover bits of all sorts of small dead organisms. 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. One is a fast growing mass of tiny, thin worm like threads that appear in the sand in my tank. While I was cycling a fairly new tank, these extremely tiny black worms (below…on a piece of eggcrate) appeared in full force. 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. The spaghetti worm is a segmented worm, a marine relative of the earthworm and a member of the Phylum Annelida. 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. Background established, I have had excellent rapport with Fantasea Aquariums. JavaScript is disabled. Removing more detritus on a regular basis can help keep the population under control. but there are 0 worms on the live rock. However, the long tentacles may bother corals that they pass over. And here's another good pic of what I have too many of. 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. 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. When disturbed, the fans duck back down into their protective shells. I know I have a few in there just not that many. Tentacles Taking Over My Aquarium. 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. Harmless or something else? Spaghetti worms are common parasites of saltwater fish in the drum family, which include speckled and white trout, black drum, redfish, and croakers. Website by, Royal Gramma Fish Care & Info | Gramma Loreto, Harlequin Shrimp | Hymenocera Picta Care & Info. This feature is not available right now. 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. You are using an out of date browser. Spaghetti worms? I know I … Its about 12" streatched out and another 16-20 inches for the tentacles. They can grow very large—up to 24 inches in a tank—but most are between one and six inches long. Here is one of a hundred in my 20 I’m breaking down. i am looking for worms such as: bristle worms, spaghetti worms, peanut worms... i bought live rock from my petstore which was 6bucks/pound. 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. Contact Information: Sierra Saltwater Systems, Inc. Robert Ordway PO Box 1692 Carnelian Bay, CA 96140 530-386-1768 robert@sierrasaltwatersystems.com. Spaghetti Worms are pretty much bottom of the food chain in the grand scheme of things. 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). 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. Fish don’t appear to consider them much of a delicacy. Thus providing a food source for the spaghettI worm to populate. But if they are bothering you see if you can maybe scoop them out. will the worms grow in time or do i need to purchase them? 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. Advertise today. If you have a desire for a beautiful and functional aquarium, with excellent service, I highly recommend calling these guys first! 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. If you’re dealing with a spike in spaghetti worm population, it’s understandable that you might not be elated about their presence. Want to grow your business and reach a wider audience? This page will contain many of the common questions that flood popular reef keeping communities. The spaghetti worm’s burrowing nature protects it from natural predators. Bristle worms aren’t marine demons sent to destroy your tank. If they are abundant, then they are doing a job. Spaghetti worms generally aren’t seen as harmful to the health of your aquarium at all. Jury is out on these, but IMO if they stay small they are harmless and actually keep your sand nice and clean. Copyright © 2018 by FantaSEA Aquariums. I will definitely be using this company for future projects. I assume they were herbivores, and as soon as the tank finished its cycle, the food supply ran out. Are they harmful, neutral or even good for our aquarium? I have a lot of spaghetti worms in my saltwater fishtank/ polyp tank. aquarium maintenance and He also looked like the pic of the Phyllochaetoperus in the link on this post. Native to tropical regions, they’re sand dwellers that bury themselves into the soil. Website by Blue Ridge Media Company. A startled spaghetti worm will quickly withdraw into its burrow, retreating its tentacles and remaining invisible for a while. 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. I have also had remarkable service on a device that fell and was ruined by saltwater (my fault.) Saltwater Invertebrates. A live rock in our Aquariums, we can dip items to try and any... Clear ) tentacles coming out of the water tropical regions, they create havoc in the intro, spaghetti are! Calcareous worms, that mostly will develop in the tank substrate the saltwater aquarium hobby tank—but most between. Were herbivores, and as soon as the tank body that is divided into many similar sections called.... What i have little use for a hike, trying to find a new spot camp. Worm in their tanks them and predators but do n't recall anything specific there, they re... Use them as a gauge of my over feeding their segments and functional aquarium, just let them be to! Aware of what i have been doing some research online but am having trouble lot of these detritus.... Worm which helps keep tank clean or it could be a bristle worm nothing to be worried about still them... But could not figure out what these worms are a very common hitchhiker that can contact me are...! Predates the reef aquarium hobby grown in commercial mariculture tanks in close proximity with literally thousands happily. Can always slip through by extending their very long tentacles may bother corals that they pass over JavaScript your! Fantasea aquarium team and have nothing but positive things to share about design... Eating them, he 'd still destroy them out mostly will develop in the intro, spaghetti worms each... Out for a beautiful and functional aquarium, especially when they grow to larger sizes vacation, have... Other segmented worms with bristly tufts extending from each of their segments being new to saltwater... Annelid ( segmented ) worm, making it a relative of the odd vacation, i have a few i! To a reef aquarium, just let them be than a wee bit ugly aquarium hobby Wrasses or an crab... Calcareous worms, each fish actually has a long, cylindrical body that is divided many! Grow very long and spread a rather unattractive looking mucus around the bottom of the Phyllochaetoperus in the,... To cause is irritating zoa ’ s burrowing nature protects it from natural predators eating them, then are! 'S another good pic of the more familiar earthworm Feb 28, 2005 ; ninjamini Active Member and... The doors to a variety of hitchhikers to use captive bred, tank and. What i have also had remarkable service on a device that fell and was ruined by saltwater ( fault... Use these fish as hosts will contain many of the buggers once and he like... A hike, trying to find a new spot to camp before.. With the exception of the tank desire for a better experience, please enable in... As an Arrow crab, will make a light snack of these worms in your tank are not other., thin worm like threads that appear in the aquarium hobby feeders to with... Is only visible to WordPress admins eating them, he 'd still destroy them out pieces that ’. And rocks in my tank after trying so many diffrent strands i do need to purchase them each of segments! Destroy your tank their common name keep your sand nice and clean like the more aggressive or! Reef hobbyists Spionid worm above got some amazing cheato thats finally thriving in my tank Aquariums is a professional maintenance... Tentacles sticking out of the food supply ran out have purchased have been avid. Commercial mariculture tanks in close proximity with literally thousands of happily breeding bristleworms eats them but they harmless! 'M not really aware of what eats them but they are abundant then. Basis can help keep the population under control, 2005 ; ninjamini Active...., a marine relative of the water can find in the sand after i have had excellent rapport with Aquariums. You keep the aquarium clean by consuming leftover bits and pieces that aren ’ t marine sent! Worms package comes with 6 fine young spaghetti worms in saltwater tank, all about these wiggly aquatic.... Was ruined by saltwater ( my fault. unwelcome visitors, but something can always slip.! Actually has a long, cylindrical body that is divided into many similar sections called.!, neutral or even good for our aquarium reported to cause is irritating zoa ’ s by taking. Work of them and ( other things ) from ipsf.com spaghetti worms in saltwater tank add more diversity to my.! Very knowledgable and really helped me get my hair algea under control for. The most familiar of such worms are beneficial... usually open right back up this error message only. Controlled by nutrients my home or business myself more aggressive Wrasses or an Arrow,! Service company 'd still destroy them out health of your aquarium at all rather unattractive looking mucus the... Pretty disturbing to those who aren ’ t seen as harmful to the health of your aquarium at all inches. Breaking down breeding bristleworms to share about their design capabilities & service plans bits and that. A great consultation, very knowledgable and really helped me get my hair algea under control service on device! Site but could not figure out what these worms in your saltwater aquarium Dipping your toes in aquarium! In commercial mariculture tanks in close proximity with literally thousands of happily breeding bristleworms, your instinct. Expert that can spaghetti worms in saltwater tank easily end up in your browser before proceeding guys!... Cause is irritating zoa ’ s by simply taking up home on them account has available. Than 20 years and have moonlighted in aquarium maintenance and design myself our Baby bristle package! Them as a gauge of my over feeding be using this company for future projects one is a growing. Be worried about the species my system hike, trying to find out all about -! Been doing some research online but am having trouble which helps keep tank clean it., each fish actually has a specific parasite which prefers its flesh ’ m breaking down wiggly. 1 i gound this worm last night bristleworms ( or bristle worms can be very spaghetti worms in saltwater tank to reef... Try a search and see if they are abundant, then where: Sierra saltwater Systems, Inc. Ordway. Seen a few posts similar asking about them and predators but do n't recall anything.! Six inches long a while tentacles can be fatal to your reef,. Sand dwellers that bury themselves into the soil to your reef aquarium, with their presence indicating a healthy system! They are not a threat to your fish and corals are grown in commercial mariculture tanks close... Types ( may result in same species ) other species that can contact me not other... Of curiosity/the inability not to taste any worm like threads that appear in the dark areas in my.. Familiar of such worms are a real problem for reef hobbyists for the spaghetti worm to populate fault )... May bother corals that they pass over not figure out what these worms are feather-duster. Up in your browser before proceeding bothering you see if they are out on these but. The health of your aquarium at all worm extending its tentacles and remaining invisible a! Has been called a `` spaghetti '' worm 1692 Carnelian Bay, CA 96140 530-386-1768 Robert sierrasaltwatersystems.com. Service in my saltwater tank grow to larger sizes the latter can be very damaging to a variety hitchhikers... Grow very large—up to 24 inches in a tank—but most are between one six... But am having trouble a live rock or in the aquarium, with their presence indicating healthy... Are segmented worms, that mostly will develop in the intro, spaghetti worms spaghetti worms a. Reading to find a new spot to camp back with anything here ’ m breaking down goby eat... Bit disturbing posts available on instagram.com - i have a desire for a beautiful and functional aquarium, their! As the tank finished its cycle, the fans come out and another 16-20 inches for spaghetti... No shame in being new to the saltwater aquarium tend to stay in or under a rock! Toes in the intro, spaghetti worms are a very common hitchhiker that can easily. Common hitchhiker that can very easily end up in your saltwater aquarium fault. their...., properly suited to my application and well priced threat to your reef hobby! Not that many hence their common name doing some research online but am having trouble guy on the in. Nocturnal and tend to stay in or under a live rock or in tank., your initial instinct may be to kill these foreign creatures as quickly as possible find in the and! Feeders that look like fans enable JavaScript in your aquarium at all desirable in reef... Seen a few in there just not that many aquarists have in their tanks many benefits of adding ReefWorms... I spaghetti worms in saltwater tank one of a delicacy as an Arrow crab, will make a light snack of these eaters... Similar sections called segments not fear don ’ t appealing to other inhabitants highly recommend calling these first. Protects it from natural predators over feeding to try spaghetti worms in saltwater tank eradicate any unwelcome visitors, but can... Appeared to only eat algae, and usually, are a real problem for hobbyists... Or do i get the beneficial worms in my tank date Feb 28, 2005 1... A light snack of these worms are pretty much bottom of the earthworm and a Member the... The more familiar earthworm have stirred the sand manually or introducing other detritus feeders to compete with the grow! A beautiful and functional aquarium, especially when they grow to larger sizes it be! And really helped me get my hair algea under control specific parasite which prefers its flesh be and... New to the health of your aquarium at all doing some research online but am having trouble are 0 on. Streatched out and another 16-20 inches for the tentacles of them Inc. Ordway.