Guy Finds Huge Bristle Worm When Cleaning His Aquarium

Some of us very much like to get an aquarium for our household and have the fish swim around for an extra charm in the room. Studies show that water creates a cal and harmonious feeling that helps us relax. Now add that to the beautiful sight of fish swimming right in your living room and you have the perfect picture. For those fish lovers, this will be quite the entertainment.Show more

However, not always do we know the responsibilities that come along with having an aquarium . Aside of remembering to feed the fish and of course spend time with them, there is also the burden of cleaning the aquarium. This must be done regularly so that you fish remain healthy and your aquarium looks appealing and spectacular.

In this video however we have somewhat of an unusual situation. It seems as if this person was not taking care of their aquarium on regular bases and other things aside of fish have started growing inside. So these guys were just admiring the view of their friends aquarium and one of them noticed that something else had started his life in there as well.

To their surprise they find out that a Bristle Worm that had taken refuge in the tank. This creature measured about 1.2m long. This thing is gross, disgusting and just plain scary.

Bristle worms are segmented worms with bristly tufts protruding from each of their segments. They can grow up to 24 inches in a tank, but are mostly between 1" and 6" long. These critters are nocturnal and tend to stay in or under the rocks or in the substrate in an aquarium. You may never see one in your tank unless you look for them during the night, while using a flashlight, or you can expose them by moving the rocks and substrate in your tank.

The thought of finding one of these in your precious marine aquarium may make you queasy. They seem to come out of thin air, but if you ask any saltwater aquarium enthusiast they will tell you that you can find one wiggling in your reef tank at any given point. Your first instincts may be to remove them by any means possible, but honestly, they are not the demons of the tank as they might seem. In fact, they can actually turn out to be your tank’s personal maid.

First of all, you need to learn how to recognize a good from a bad bristle worm. The good ones have their bristle tufts spaced evenly along the sides of their bodies. The bristles are bright white in color and their bodies are either colorful or a dull gray.

Think of them as the janitors of the aquarium. They eat the leftovers made by the tank’s other inhabitants, also known as detritus. If you could ask them what their menu consists of, they will probably say something along the lines of “fish poo, decaying or dead fish, the leftovers from their last meal or simple just any yummy debris.”

Along with eating the unsavory bits, they aerate your substrate and keep your tank surprisingly clean.