4 hitch hickers(may have Bristle Worm)

[Jojo23]

Today I bought 10 lbs. of LR that is covered in red coraline algae. When I got it home and put it in my 55 gallon long aquarium I spotted up to 4 hitch hikers. One snail, Two thin long legged white seastars and a pink worm. I called a pet supply store I often go to confused on what to feed them, If they will feed on their own. The girl there said I may have a Bristle Worm. I looked up images of Bristle Worms on line and I'm not to sure if it is a Bristle Worm. It disappeared as quickly as it had appeared so I did not get a good look at it. What I saw was that the worm is about 1/2 in. in leangth and has bristles all over and not just on the sides of it's body.
The seastars: I've seen one which is about the size of a dime (tiny). The other just has about a milimeter of one leg sticking out of it's hiding place, Probably searching for micro organisms to eat.
The snail: It's moving around, feeding. Hope it lives. I've had no luck w/ snails. The Nitrate is staying between 20 and 40. Water changes haven't helped but now I have some Macro Algae so w/ the algae and another couple water changes the Nitrate will hopefully dicipate.
If I can see everything well enough and get pictures I will upload them soon after. Hope the Worm isn't a Bristle Worm and is just a harmless speacies.

 

[Blurp]

It's a bristle worm according to your description, it isn't that much harmful (unless you touch it with your bare fingers )
Seastars are often detritivorous and should not suffer much from starvation...As for teh snail, unless you provide with some pics or more detailed morphologic description little can be said, but that most snails that come w/LR are alguivorous...

 

[Jojo23]

Thank you Blurp. I was told by the girl that I should get rid of the worm. It is hiding so I don't know when I will get a good look at it. If it is not going to harm anything in my tank I will let it be. I do have curious critters that peck at new additions. They kept going after a large Turbo Snail I had. The snail was alot bigger then they are. It didn't live through the night. One fish felt threatened due to it being near it's territory and got all the fishes stirred up. Hope they don't peck at the worm.

 

[Jojo23]

A fifth hitch hiker: A Tunic or something similar. I have one from before that I have posted on here a while ago and now this one. It is larger, the opening of the tube is almost a quarter inch and the animal that lives inside is red. It's location is in a bad spot. The rock arches out where the tube is and gives little room to come out and feed. I have not seen the seastars or worm since yesterday afternoon.

 

[David Shaw]

I dip my rocks in fresh water before putting into the tank, that flushes the worms out. If you know what rock it is in you can always remove and dip.

 

[Jojo23]

It was hanging around the same rock as the seastars. I was gonna look for it last night in the dark w/ a red light but the snail had flipped upside down so I disturbed the tank to correct it. I'm going to try yo find it tonight (or untill I do find it). Then find a safe way to remove it.

 

[RachShaffy]

Bristles are great things to have in your tank! Yes they'll sting you if you touch them but then again, you shouldn't need to put your hands in the tank. They're great for your CuC

 

[Jojo23]

This is the new Tunic(???). It hides w/ any sudden movement and has little room to come out. I could not get a picture of the animal that lives in the tube.

 

[Jojo23]

They first one I got. Have not seen it in days though.

 

[Jojo23]

How fast will these critters along w/ the seastars and snails grow? I read that Bristle Worms grow and reproduce like no tomorrow. Should I rehome the Seastars when I find them? My tank is only 55 gal. These Seastars are not like I have seen before. They walk, almost like a dance, on their thin long legs instead of crawl.

 

[thereefersspot]

bristle worms will reproduce like crazy if you over feed your tank

 

[Reefmack]

I'm not sure what that is in the last pictures, but it's not a tunicate. Tunicates just siphon water in and out (filter feeders) - they have no worm that lives inside. Pretty cool whatever type worm it is!