bristle worms good or bad
- Thread starter nic
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lion_crazz
Active Member
They are usually very beneficial in the tank as long as the population is not excessive. If your tank is overrun with them, that is usually a sign that the tank is being overfed.
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surfinusa
Guest
it will kill small fish when they are sleeping and if it gets big enough it can probably swallow them
lion_crazz
Active Member
No, they will not kill small fish and swallow them. Most bristle worms are beneficial detritivores.
Brittle STARS can eat smaller fish, not bristle worms! Get your facts straight before you post something and possibly scare the original poster to believe she has killer worms in her tank.
Brittle STARS can eat smaller fish, not bristle worms! Get your facts straight before you post something and possibly scare the original poster to believe she has killer worms in her tank.
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nereef
Guest
a brittle worm eating a fish... that would be quite a sight. lol.
wembleey
New Member
I had just started a tank about a week and half ago..I started to see things moving, worm like creatures. Thought it was cool, living things in my tank..whoohoo did it right. Saw this post bristle worm good or bad? I new then I had I dentified these worms things. I have quite a few, they come out when I feed my damsels( yes I know, shouldn't have got them so early) any way did some reading, some people are saying good some are saying bad? Don't know what one? Need some help!
Thanks Nikki
Thanks Nikki
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surfinusa
Guest
i read that they can kill and eat fish but very small fish like 1 inch sometimes bigger but a book said something about eating them sounds weird but a very large bristle worm could at least thats what this one book said
bang guy
Moderator
Originally Posted by surfinusa
i read that they can kill and eat fish but very small fish like 1 inch sometimes bigger but a book said something about eating them sounds weird but a very large bristle worm could at least thats what this one book said
There are over 10,000 species of Bristle Worm.
There are two species I know of that can eat a small fish.
One of the two needs to be huge (measured in feet) before it can capture a 1" fish and it isn't likely to be found in a hobbiest's tank.
The other has been reported but it's quite rare for it to be in a saltwater tank. It builds a mucus bubble around a sleeping fish. The fish either suffocates in the bubble or there's some type of toxin in the mucus that kills the fish, perhaps both. The Bristleworm then proceeds to eat the already dead fish.
The vast majority of Bristleworms found in an aquarium either filter feed, eat carrion or eat detritus. These are the worms that are considered beneficial or desireable.
i read that they can kill and eat fish but very small fish like 1 inch sometimes bigger but a book said something about eating them sounds weird but a very large bristle worm could at least thats what this one book said
There are over 10,000 species of Bristle Worm.
There are two species I know of that can eat a small fish.
One of the two needs to be huge (measured in feet) before it can capture a 1" fish and it isn't likely to be found in a hobbiest's tank.
The other has been reported but it's quite rare for it to be in a saltwater tank. It builds a mucus bubble around a sleeping fish. The fish either suffocates in the bubble or there's some type of toxin in the mucus that kills the fish, perhaps both. The Bristleworm then proceeds to eat the already dead fish.
The vast majority of Bristleworms found in an aquarium either filter feed, eat carrion or eat detritus. These are the worms that are considered beneficial or desireable.
pclown
Member
Originally Posted by Bang Guy
There are over 10,000 species of Bristle Worm.
There are two species I know of that can eat a small fish.
One of the two needs to be huge (measured in feet) before it can capture a 1" fish and it isn't likely to be found in a hobbiest's tank.
The other has been reported but it's quite rare for it to be in a saltwater tank. It builds a mucus bubble around a sleeping fish. The fish either suffocates in the bubble or there's some type of toxin in the mucus that kills the fish, perhaps both. The Bristleworm then proceeds to eat the already dead fish.
The vast majority of Bristleworms found in an aquarium either filter feed, eat carrion or eat detritus. These are the worms that are considered beneficial or desireable.
Good info, and I know that I have some because I have seen a few at night but I dont see them during the day. I would not worry about them.
There are over 10,000 species of Bristle Worm.
There are two species I know of that can eat a small fish.
One of the two needs to be huge (measured in feet) before it can capture a 1" fish and it isn't likely to be found in a hobbiest's tank.
The other has been reported but it's quite rare for it to be in a saltwater tank. It builds a mucus bubble around a sleeping fish. The fish either suffocates in the bubble or there's some type of toxin in the mucus that kills the fish, perhaps both. The Bristleworm then proceeds to eat the already dead fish.
The vast majority of Bristleworms found in an aquarium either filter feed, eat carrion or eat detritus. These are the worms that are considered beneficial or desireable.
Good info, and I know that I have some because I have seen a few at night but I dont see them during the day. I would not worry about them.