"Too many" bristle worms???

[mcarroll]

4 minutes ago, Tamberav said:

What we call by the common name bristle worms don't eat fish or shrimp. Neither do peanut worms.

 

What we call bobbit and firewoms can be problematic.

And those are just as common as bristle worms, right? 😉😉[nudge, nudge]

[Tamberav]

9 hours ago, Seadragon said:

It’s only a problem if it starts to out compete other living creatures within the tank for food, starts to eat corals, increases the bio load due to a population epidemic, kills lethargic fish that may have recovered, or creates stress due to aggressive behavior.

 

Other than that, there’s nothing wrong if you like that sort of thing.

 

They don't outcompete anything but perhaps each other and they don't eat corals. Not common 'bristle worms' anyways. 

 

There are some bad kinds of worms but what we typically call bristle worms we are referring to the benificial ones.

 

I am guessing you read up on hitchikers which is good but there is a lot of misinformation out there. There are 1000s of types of worms but only generally a handful we deal with in our tanks.

 

 

[Crys]

Hi, (I'm the one with the 13 gallon take with bristle worms) Thanks to all who have replied.  

There have been a few different opinions but in general, bristle worms are ok, but gross.  It sounds like my take is ok.  I never see them on the rocks they just peak out when I feed a cretin type of food.  In fact the bristle worm poked it's nose out of the same cave as my yellow watchman, and the watchman didn't seem to care. So I'm guessing they aren't bothering anyone.  I love all my creepy crawlies but have a phobia of worms in the garden or fish tank. So I'm going to have to be a big girl and live with.

 

One question, someone mentioned my question being a bump on a 4 month old post.  Should I have started a new post?  New to all of this so don't know the etiquette yet.

Edited September 30, 2019 by Crys
spelling

[BioCube Newb]

no biggie, I've seen ppl jump on 10 year old threads, if its similar subject matter its all good

[mcarroll]

33 minutes ago, Crys said:

One question, someone mentioned my question being a bump on a 4 month old post.  Should I have started a new post?

Some folks here will heckle you, but it's fine!  🙂

 

(Sometimes it just gets pointed out so everyone reaslized that the thread isn't new.....us old-timers might have already commented on it the first time around.  😉 

[Superdave]

Jumping back in on this..

 

I had a fairly large population in my 5.5 and as they were all in my rocks, when I upgraded to a 9.6 most of them were reintroduced.  Had several dozen, one of which was close to 8 inches long.  

 

I did fresh water dips/soaks with no success.  Even did saltwater soaks (in buckets) overnight and none would venture out.  Made my own trap, used frozen food and nothing worked.  

 

Finally took to sucking them out with a turkey baster after lights had been out for a couple of hours at night.  Out on the sand, I could suck up 2-3 small ones with the baster.  If on rocks, they always won.  Those things are fast!  

 

I realize they can play a positive role, but they would crawl all over my corals and the corals didn't like it.  They would also eat my snails and I blame them for a small fish I lost.  

 

I added a bi-color pseudo chromis a couple of months ago and I think it may be working through the population as I haven't seen many as of late.  They supposedly will eat them, but I will add I have never see it eating one.  

 

Last thing I will add is I have seen some pics on this forum (can't remember poster) who had insane problem, as in hundreds in maybe a 10 gallon or something along those lines.  Was like a horror movie, with them covering his sand.  Must have been some kind of freak breeding ground..  All that to say I think you can  have too many.  

[Crys]

I am trying to accept them as part of my tank, but when I see too many, I just have to get rid of a few.  There are always more to replace them it seems.  I have never seen a bi-coloured pseudo chromis I will have to look into it.  Thanks

 

[Seadragon]

I feel for you.  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  That’s why I’ll do my best to never introduce bristleworms into any of my reef tanks. (Easiest way is to not use live rock and to be careful who you buy your corals from.)

 

But, I understand that once you get any type of unwanted pest, it’s nearly impossible to get rid of without starting over.  We all love to explore the world of fishkeeping and make mistakes along the way, and then try to make the “ideal” tank later in life.

[FishBoy69]

I've successfully kept bristle worms out from the start of my tank. Forget those creeping things. Literally look like something from a Ridley Scott movie. 

 

I think the only true way to successfully keep them out is by never ever ever ever letting them join the party in the first place. I think you could probably trap them and get rid of them that way. OOOORRRR you could grab some tweezers and go to war. I saw a water bottle technique online that someone was using to trap them. Perhaps look into that?? Best of luck.

[Crys]

I finally found a small enough bottle to try the trap.  My tank is only 13 gallons.  I do worry about them competing for food because I see them poke out of the rocks when I feed.  I may have to live with some, but don't want too many, so I will try the bottle trap.  I also read somewhere that you could put a piece of shrimp in some pantyhose and the next morning the worms would be caught in it because of their bristles, but I could also imagine a few hermit crabs and the peppermint shrimp trapped too.  Anyone ever try the panty-hose method

[Tired]

Your leggy inverts shouldn't get caught in the mesh. They aren't covered in bristles, after all, and have limbs with which to get loose.

[Crys]

thanks