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Hi, I have a 300L freshwater tank, which I cleaned out last night, and found 3 freshwater bristle worms in the gravel, picture links below, but are these friends or foes of the fresh water aquarium? Should I remove them, as best as I can, or will they be alright left in? The biggest one is nearly 3" or 7.5cm. The only way I can think that they have got in is with some plants, Madagascar Lace and Tiger Lily.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u228/wdk3_album/IMG00075c.jpg
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u228/wdk3_album/IMG00075b.jpg
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u228/wdk3_album/IMG00075a.jpg

Wow, that's pretty cool. They look like polychates, but I was under the assumption that polychaetes are marine. My thought would be that bristleworms are detrivores and will help to break down food particles as a sort of clean-up crew. You can probably leave them alone as you long as you don't mind "creepy crawlies". Of course, this is my assumption, I didn't even know freshwater bristleworms existed until seeing this post, but I would leave them alone if it doesn't seem they're hurting anything.

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The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

Unless you can get an exact ID on the species (which is probably going to be just about impossible unless you're friends with a world-class invertebrate zoologist), I'd take them out. It is true that most are detritovores, but there are a number that are parasitic. Can't be too careful.

i would take them out personally just be sure.

1-Ancistrus triradiatus 4-Gymnocorymbus ternetzi 2-Danio frankei
2-Danio rerio 2-Danio Starfire 2-Chromobotia macracanthus 2-Erpetoichthys calabaricus 4-Ampullariidae 1-Mastacembelus erythrotaenia

It has been a few days since you posted this thread. Did you find out what it is and what have you done about it.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

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Keith

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Hi All, Many thanks to all who replied. I have managed to get them ID'd down to 2 possibilities. These are:namalycastis siolii or N. senegalensis. Most likely N. siolii, as these are a pure freshwater species, and N. senegalensis are frsh or brackish water.

Both are from the Amazonian area.

I have had a good go through the substrate, and removed a total of about 70.

Unfortunately I lost a good proportion of these, but I did manage to save enough to be able to offer some on ebay, with warnings galore. they did sell, and the buyer is promising to keep me upto date with any observations.

Maureen

I had one of these in my tank not that long ago and i totally freaked!

it was in the gravel and came out with the gravel vac .. there was only the one as far as i could tell..
i had it in a cup and eventually it died..

interesting to know im not the only one!!!

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them