Bristle Worms Are Taking Over HELP!

[cheryldola]

Does anyone have a solution to an ever growing bristle worm population?????? I understand there are some fish that eat them. Or traps? What can I do to get rid of these critters???? They are snacking on my corals.
Cheryl:help:

 

[murph145]

u can do the pipe trap or just try to catch some physically which is hard since the hise during light hours....
i would think the main way to control a bristle worm population is to lessen there food source....
do you think you over feed your tank?? if there is too much waste build up then they will multiply like crazy....
since they are snacking on your corals i would first try to catch as many as you can via pipe trap or other methods then lessen your feeding so they dont keep multiplying....
i find some in my tank none more than an inch and i havent ever noticed any corals/polyps hurt by them

 

[dogstar]

Most wrasses and butterflies will eat the tiny ones. Someone said yesterday in a thread about puting food/bait in a nylon ( stocking :notsure: ) and I guess there little thorns get caught up and you can remove them. Maybe they will post it again for you.

 

[sweetreef]

How often you feeding your fish???Over feeding can cause a out break of to many bristle worms..What kind of substrate you have??

 

[loon]

There are a few fish and crabs that will eat them. Six-line wrasse and arrow crabto name some. IMO they are not all bad.

 

[spike_501]

come out when the tank has been in complete darkness for a few hours and pick them out with tongs BUT NOT YOUR HANDS! or i heard that arrow crabs munch on them but they also eat other worms such as tube worms

 

[jdreef]

are bristle worms bad to have in a tank??

 

[tank1483]

Originally posted by JDReef
are bristle worms bad to have in a tank??
That depends on who you are talking to. Bristle worms are beneficial detrivores; they will help clean your tank of excess food. A huge outbreak of them signifies that there is an excess of food; cause: overfeeding. If you are really worried about the number of bristle worms in your tank, you can use traps to egt rid of them. Also, monitor your feeding habits and cut back. Overall there are tons of different types of those worms and only 1 or 2 are actually harmful to your system. I think on this thread about a month or so ago, there was someone who was boasting that they had a 2 or 3-foot long bristle worm in their tank. Its all a matter of peference. HTH

 

[jdreef]

well think you
i know i have about 16 or less but i was worryed that they were going to eat my coral.
jorge