Bristle worms,to keep not to keep?

[maryd]

I have a new chunk of live rock which has at least 2 bristleworms in it. Neither is huge, maybe the biggest is an inch. Should I get rid of these or put them into my display tank along with the rock?
I've also found 3 tiny little stars so far. There were 2 hermits and I've seen several peanut worms. But there's something in a hole which looks peach in color and I have no idea what it is. I plan to remove the rock from water and let the critters come out of the rock into a bucket of saltwater so I can see what's on it. I don't want to get crappy things in my main tank. I have the live rock in the prison tank right now. (damsels, crab and huge hermit in there also)

 

[fishcake]

keep the worms, they are beneficial to your tank.

 

[alyssia]

Yep, the vast majority of bristle worms are beneficial.

 

[hot883]

Originally Posted by alyssia
Yep, the vast majority of bristle worms are beneficial.
Don't they eat pods too?

 

[maryd]

Ok I will keep them but they are ugly. Thankfully they come out at night and I won't have to look at them.

 

[acrylic51]

As long as they are in check and not overly huge they are good and benefical to your system

 

[maryd]

The largest one I have seen was about an inch or so long but can't be sure. I've read so many horror stories on here about the size of the bristleworms found in other's tanks that I'm still hesitant to let them go into the main tank. Once they're in there, it will be a nightmare to get them out if I want to.
Will any shrimp, crabs or fish eat them?

 

[ophiura]

They are a normal and natural and typically beneficial inhabitant of the tank. Most people probably have pretty large specimens and are oblivious to their existance. Many are harlmess but they are on the bad end of some old, outdated (IMO) advice that they are bad. I would definitely keep them

Innocent until proven guilty, IMO, and in all likelihood they will not be guilty in the end. Yes some are problems here and there but I can say that about many animals that are hitch hikers, or that we purposely put in the tank.

 

[drewdog82]

I have one in my tank that is at least 8" long (he never came fully out). When I watch him at night he just picks at my algae... very beneficial. He seems to be easilly spooked by other things in the tank.

 

[gatorwpb]

They kind of creep me out :scared: so I plan on removing them from the 2 rocks I recently picked up that contain some bristles.
Also, CB Shrimp, Arrow crabs, and 6-line wrasses are predators of smaller bristles Ive read.

 

[ninjamini]

I just found one that was 12-14" stretched out and 6" shriveled up. It was in my 12 gallon and I just saw it for the first time and pulled it out. It was just too big for that little tank. But being that the tank is 1.5 years old I would say that it was doing no damage.

 

[bojik]

If you need to remove some at a later time. Get a glass (or platic cup) CLEAN of course. invert a nylon over it and put in the bottom of the cup a pieve of meaty food (under nylon works). and set the cup inside the tank near live rick. This will also catch some nastey or benifecial custations too.