Bristle Worm Help...

[zoogrl03]

OMG!!! I turned on the light in my living room where my tank sits the other night (after all the lights had been off for a few hours) and i was a bit alarmed when a bristle worm probably just short of 12 in long and at least an inch thick went sliding across the sand bed. I have never been scared of a living thing in my life until I saw that! It is still in there and I need help or anyones opinions on how to get it out. I can not just reach down and grab it with some tweezers i know that...plus it is really fast. Are there any methods you have used to remove your bristle worms? God knows how long that thing has been in my tank. Also, can a bristle worm eat a sand star? My star fish suddenly went missing a couple weeks back Please help!!!!

 

[michaeltx]

I dont think it ate the star alive. if it was dead then yes the worm will consum the star thats what the are desinged to do.
now if you have a large one they can cause problems if there isnt enough food in the tank and honestly you probably dont want to hear but its still a baby ;-) there was a guy with a HUGE worm that live in his support system I believe that was if I remember right about 12 inches long or more. but back to what you were asking.
there are several different traps availble but you can make one also but putting a meaty food in nylons back * made from womans nylon panty hose* and put it in the tank the worms can actually get cought up in the nylon and cant escape fast and it should give you time to pull it out of the tank.
the also make a plastic trap that you put food in and the go in and cant get out. another option that works sometimes is taking a bottle and cutting the top off inverting it and putting food in it when the worms go in the cant get out. this trap needs to be set on an angle against the rock work so they can go in and cant climb back to the top of the bottle.
you might find more than you bargin for though as there are many many many many critters that come out at night you normally wont ever see in the tank.
Mike

 

[sepulatian]

What kind of star do you have? A bristle worm could not, and would not, eat a whole star in a night. The star is likely in the rock work somewhere. You have a big guy there. What size is your tank? They are nothing to be worried about. They sift through the sand and eat detritus and uneaten foods. I am actually looking to get more of them.

 

[michaeltx]

you actually dont want the real big ones though. They can once they get to a larger size start to go after snails if they cant find enough food.
BTW you following me

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by MichaelTX
http:///forum/post/2663147
you actually dont want the real big ones though. They can once they get to a larger size start to go after snails if they cant find enough food.
BTW you following me

Right, not the very large ones. They get large in time though.
hehe that is what Sep's do

 

[el guapo]

Hey michael are you talking about the oregon reef guy ? The tank thats like 9 foot by 9 foot and like 3 or 4 foot deep ? I think that worm was almost 2 foot . It was huge and was living in the PVC pipe that made up his shelving in the display . Its was crazy big .

 

[michaeltx]

yeah I know his pics used to be on here but during upgrades etc. they were lost not sure if they were ever reposted. I couldnt remember how long it was but I know that sucker was HUGE!!
mike

 

[mr_x]

Originally Posted by EL GUAPO
http:///forum/post/2663155
Hey michael are you talking about the oregon reef guy ? The tank thats like 9 foot by 9 foot and like 3 or 4 foot deep ? I think that worm was almost 2 foot . It was huge and was living in the PVC pipe that made up his shelving in the display . Its was crazy big .
i believe that worm was 6 feet long. it spanned the distance between the front and back wheels of his truck. that, i'd worry about

 

[zoogrl03]

My tank is a 72 gallon bow. To me, this worm is huge! It is nearing 12 in. I have heard that they can be harmful to people too, like if i were to accidentally move a rock and touch it??????!!!!!! I would prefer to get it out, but you all think I should leave it in there? I don't want to risk it getting too much larger to where it is going to eat one of my small fish such as my mandarin!!!

 

[zoogrl03]

Oh yeah and my star is a sand-sifting star which i used to see from time to time gliding across the top of the sand, but i havn't seen him like 4 weeks!! I have even sifted through the sand myself and can't seem to find him unless he is in the back under some rocks. Hopefully not dead!

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by zoogrl03
http:///forum/post/2664486
Oh yeah and my star is a sand-sifting star which i used to see from time to time gliding across the top of the sand, but i havn't seen him like 4 weeks!! I have even sifted through the sand myself and can't seem to find him unless he is in the back under some rocks. Hopefully not dead!
You won't see a sand sifting star. They stay in the sand, sifting all of the microfauna out of your sand.

 

[zoogrl03]

I've had my star for about five months i usually at least saw him once a week. he would always pop up every now and again not for long though.

 

[usirchchris]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
http:///forum/post/2663142
What kind of star do you have? A bristle worm could not, and would not, eat a whole star in a night. The star is likely in the rock work somewhere. You have a big guy there. What size is your tank? They are nothing to be worried about. They sift through the sand and eat detritus and uneaten foods. I am actually looking to get more of them.
I would like to get more myself, as my arrow crab has seemingly desimated my population...anyway to get them aside hoping they would be on newly aquired LR?

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by usirchchris
http:///forum/post/2664729
I would like to get more myself, as my arrow crab has seemingly desimated my population...anyway to get them aside hoping they would be on newly aquired LR?
Ask your LFS. I have one, that a friend works at, that I can get them from. It is a bit of a drive for me though. I hope to make it there sometime this summer. Ask your LFS, they dispose of them.

 

[usirchchris]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
http:///forum/post/2664774
Ask your LFS. I have one, that a friend works at, that I can get them from. It is a bit of a drive for me though. I hope to make it there sometime this summer. Ask your LFS, they dispose of them.
You're kidding...Lol that is great. Thanks for the tip

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