bristle worm question

crazy bout salt7

crazy bout salt7

New Member
I just found 3 big bristle worms in my tank the other day. it is a 55 gallon reef and i was wondering if i shoudl try to get rid of them or keep them i dont remember if they r good or not plz help i think i remember sumone saying they can be harmfull. one is about 5 inches another 4 and another 3 and a half and then a few smaller ones.
 
susiepan

susiepan

Member
If you saw three, you probably have 50, if you have one...They multiply like crazy...I've seen much debate on this BB on good VS evil, and most do let them be..They "can" burn/bite/sting...what ever you call it, small or slow moving fish when they are bigger...I personally vacuum out small sections of the buggers about 1 every 6-7 weeks.I think that in great ##'s they present a real threat to fish and invertebratesas they search for food..and they DO burn if you touch them...(It kind of gets itchy, then burns alittle)They do aerate your substrate..But it is written in some books that when Firefish "lock themselves in for the night...Bristle worms and even hermit crabs can eat them alive..Large Bristle worms have also been known to prey on soft Corals...Its really your call...I try to remove the really big ones..over 3-5"..thats alittle TOO healthy for me..I personally hate the things....YUCK!!!!
Bristleworms are segmented marine worms with fully functioning destructive mouthparts and rows of barbed, stinging hairs flanking the body..Some can grow in excess of 12" but the "Norm" go to 3-4"..They should be considered scavengers and predators..they sift through detrius searching for algae, or food morsels, but "can attack..clams.tubeworms,inverts, and fish, larger specimens are capible of biting humans and producing a rash..If you have too many in you opinion, you can make , or buy a trap...place it between the rock and substrate..
I got the book for that answer, I didnt think I was explaining them well enough..
Hope that helps..Susie :)
You get them from LS and LR...Just part of the package I guess...ewwwwwwww..I personally hate the things..
Hope that helped alittle
Susie ;)
 
saul t. waters

saul t. waters

Member
Well i was going to purchase an EXTRA large piece of live rock ( almost 2ft long and 8 in. wide)until i saw this weird creature with part of its body in one hole and out the other... anyway i finally realized it was a BRISTLE worm that was 1/2 in WIDE, not telling how long it was... didn't buy that rock by the way. <img src="graemlins//eek.gif" border="0" alt="[eek]" />
 
nacl-h2o

nacl-h2o

Active Member
I have never had anything bad happen as a result of bristle worms and most are benificial. But larg ones can be irritating when touched. I've seen CBS's eat them, but probably only ossacionaly. I've heard arrow crabs eat them, but there only so so when calling them reef safe and are probably going to be more of a problem than the worms. If there to big for your comfort your best bet may be to get some twisers and wait for them to fully expose themselves and pull them out. There will be a hundred more in there to to the good job.
 
susiepan

susiepan

Member
In one of my "problem solving" books,it show a fish actually pinned down by several of these suckers..It also says some fish might eat them, but they have a tendency GET THIS!!! to actually wrap around a fish's face and sting them, sometimes in the eyes causing permanent blindness..
It also shows them and flatworms munching on soft corals...Looks like the old tweezers comin out this weekend and we're goin a worm huntin..Yep Yep!!
~Susie <img src="graemlins//eek.gif" border="0" alt="[eek]" />
 
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