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Question
I recently received a saltwater tank as a present, and finished cycling it, and just added a live rock. I have noticed that when I feed my fish, these little red worms come out of the rock to feed. I look up the description of the worm online, and read about the Hawaiian Lined Fireworm. I think that this is what is living in the live rock. Is it a bad infestation, or should I let them be? And if they are bad, which is the best way to get rid of them? The trap, or tweezing them out?

Answer
Hello Nicole. Bristle worms are beneficial scavengers that feed on detritus and dead organisms. However, an abundant food supply results in a fast growing population leading to potential attacks on crustaceans, corals, and anemones. As they grow in size, in some instances up to 24", their presence in your aquarium can be very unsightly. Improved water flow, aggressive skimming, and nutrient control keep their population in check by minimizing their food supply. As long as the population does not get out of control or as long as none of the bristleworms in your tank get too large, they can be very beneficial to your tank. Usually you can remove a good part of any population by simply doing frequent partial water changes. Not only do you suck up the worms when doing partials but you also clean out some of their food source. You can use tweezers to remove them but more than likely it is a beneficial scavenger in your tank.