Getting rid of bristle worms

[murphy_5]

Getting ready right now to upgrade my 5.5g to a 19x12x12 Mr. Aqua tank and before I do it I want to get rid of my bristle worm problem so heres my question. If i fill a bucket with real high salinity like 1.035 or so, and put the lr in this water will the bristle worms come out quickly? Kinda a theory I have what do you guys/gals think?

[Coastie]

Why are you killing them?

[Mitch619]

Get ready to hear from the Brisstle worm police. It's like the tang police is getting side-branches.

 

If you really plan on starting new, I would kill the live rock and then place them in the new aquarium. You can then get some live rock from a buddy or online to seed the rock.

[murphy_5]

Ok I should be more specific... fire worms and there are a bunch of little ones

[Dasani]

[murphy_5]

lol

 

"Fireworms are segmented marine worms that look a bit like colorful centipedes. They are extremely aggressive, predatory carnivores that feed on anemones, soft and hard corals, mollusks and small crustaceans. In other words, if fireworms have infested your aquarium, they could do a considerable amount of damage in a very short period of time. Typically, fireworms are introduced into your aquarium by hiding in a piece of live rock, so be sure to inspect any rock prior to placing it in your aquarium."

 

This is why

 

Didn't you get the memo?

[Dasani]

Suck um with a turkey baster, put um in a bucket and toss a frag in it. Works wonders for me.

[Guest TheBlueLorax]

eat them

[Genj]

The grenade has been replaced with: The ATK XM-25

 

This should take care of them.

 

Seriously, watch the movie.

[murphy_5]

Yeah that thing is crazy...but what do you think about the idea I have? just to thin them out at least?

[Genj]

setup a temporary solution by suspending the LR in a 5 gallon bucket of normal saltwater. You could cut some eggcrate and have it about 4 or 5 inches from the bottom because of the tapered shape of the bucket. Use your water change water with a heater and put some food on the bottom to lure the worms out of the rocks. Leave it there for a day or so? See what comes out and is trapped on the bottom.... otherwise I'm sure super high salinity will work, but it will probably kill off some of the good stuff as well.

[Captain Billy]

I would be willing to bet you simply have bristle worms. A single fireworm is rare, much less a bunch of babies.

[Lawnman]

+1 Captain

[joy13]

Read up and find out if there is a natural predator you might like to have in your tank. I got a golden coral banded shrimp in a tank I got off craigslist and have very few bristle worms in the tank. I target feed him so he leaves some of the bristle worms alone.

[cptbjorn]

you can try fighting them if you want but they will win. you aren't going to keep bristle worms out of your tank no matter how hard you try.

[Euphyllia]

you can try fighting them if you want but they will win. you aren't going to keep bristle worms out of your tank no matter how hard you try.

 

+1

[lakshwadeep]

lol

 

"Fireworms are segmented marine worms that look a bit like colorful centipedes. They are extremely aggressive, predatory carnivores that feed on anemones, soft and hard corals, mollusks and small crustaceans. In other words, if fireworms have infested your aquarium, they could do a considerable amount of damage in a very short period of time. Typically, fireworms are introduced into your aquarium by hiding in a piece of live rock, so be sure to inspect any rock prior to placing it in your aquarium."

 

This is why

 

Didn't you get the memo?

 

Who is the source of the quote, and where did they get their information?

 

Just because they are fire worms doesn't mean they are dangerous. Fire worms (especially the genus Eurythoe) are some of the most common bristle worms and are often harmless. IMO, "fire worm" has become the new "bristle worm" in terms of reef bogeyman.

 

Fireworms are really common in reef aquaria. They probably account for ninety or more percent of the worms seen in reef aquaria. Most fireworms are scavengers in tropical marine environments, albeit a few of the about 120 species are predatory, and one or two are parasitic. The fireworms that are most frequently found in aquaria may be very abundant. Even a small aquarium may have thousands of them, and they are beneficial scavengers.. One species, common in nature but rarely found in aquaria, is of concern to aquarists. This species, Hermodice carunculata, is predatory on stony corals and gorgonians. Fortunately, individuals of this species may be easily distinguished and removed from the system.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/rs/index.php

[murphy_5]

Well I took a lot of advice on here... shocker I know I listened to what people said! And I'm leaving them in I haven't seen any real damage to my tank and well I guess the goods out weigh the bad, so thanks though to everyone and just got my new tank up and running at about 3 today so anyone want pics?

[LPS-Crazy]

Unless they get large, over 3-4" then leave them be. But yes, if you get a bucket of saltwater with SG of 1.45 and set each peice of LR in there for a minute or two just about everything that moves will come out of the rock looking for safty. Take what you want, leave what you want dead. This will also not kill any bacteria or even the pests on the rocks, it will just bug them enough to leave. Just have a bucket with salt water of a normal SG to put the critters and rock in that you dont want.

[Captain Billy]

One time I saw a 7" long fire worn eating mushrooms on a rock in a live rock holding tank. It was 5 times as wide as a bristle worm and easily twice as long. It was also bright red and easy to catch.

[nibor]

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchworms.html

[ericchris]

read up on coral rx