bristle worms

[wingnut]

for the last year ive used traps to remove these pests i was wondering if there is a ezr way to do it is the some kinda of fish or invert that will eat these worms?????????????

 

[wingnut]

well i was told that thay can damge corals and stuff why would thay make traps to get rid of them if thay wernt a problem????

 

[nm reef]

I agree that bristle worms are a beneficial part of the diversity of a DSB. There is a remote possibility that rare types can cause problems...but its more likely that a large majority of the worms never cause a problem. Instead they are scavengers and help keep things clean and tidy. Maybe the traps are so you can remove them and send 'em this way...I'd gladly add them to my system!

 

[bang guy]

Originally posted by WinGNut
why would thay make traps to get rid of them if thay wernt a problem????
Q. Why would they make Pet Rocks?
A. Because people will buy them.

 

[saltyrich]

Great comments guys. Don't remove them. They are a great part of the diversity of a reef system. They are probably the best detrivore in your tank. They won't harm anything enless it's dead or dying. I think the reason they sell the traps is because for a long time now, bristleworms have been thought of as detrimental to a reef system. Research over the past several years indicates that this just isn't so. They are very beneficial.

 

[carrie1429]

I too agree that they are good but sometimes you get too many or some people just don't want them, so in an alternative to traps you could use an arrow crab. These crabs love to eat bristle worms but are not good to have in small tanks with shrimp or small fish.

 

[megadon]

A buddy of mine put an Arrow crab in his tank and he watches him catch and eat the smaller worms. I don't know if it would wipe out a population, but maybe keep them in control.

 

[joe's reefer]

a bristleworm killed my friend madarin.a straight hole right through the side its like the worm just drilled it through.

 

[bang guy]

Originally posted by joe's reefer
a bristleworm killed my friend madarin.a straight hole right through the side its like the worm just drilled it through.
Sorry man, I'd need a video to believe that one. I'd bet my paycheck the Mandarin croaked and the Bristle Worm started cleaning up the mess.

 

[fish head]

My feeling is they will multiply too quickly. I had them all over the tank so I bought a Neon Dottyback. Not as many worms now, so I assume he is eating them as I was told.

 

[pa reef pig]

Maybe I just haven't look close enough but I dont think I've ever seen a bristle worm in my tank.

 

[wingnut]

play with a flashlight at night and you will see them mine seem to hual a$$ when the light hit them

 

[jonthefb]

if you really want to see all the stuff at nigt, use a red bulb, or wrap some red saran wrap over your falshlight, the worms wont recoil, and you will be able to see the night life in all its wonderful ( and often alien) form!
cool stuff guys
jon
BTW< IF YOU HAVE a ton of bristle worms, do you then by the same thinking have tons of dead stuff in your tank? Just a thought
jon

 

[fish head]

I have never seen them damage anything. I had so many, that I counted at least 50, during the daytime feeding, in my 30 Nano reef. Perhaps they would die off when the food source is cut off. I think they came in on a new piece of live rock and multiplied.

 

[jonthefb]

when i was doing some work in the tnak the other day i turned up a polyp rock and there were tons of worms underneath it. one of them got blown up into the water colum, where my lawnmower blenny went and took the whole guy in his mouth and tried to eat him, but seconds later spit him out! The worm landed on the snad and buried himself right away.
it was pretty comical!
good luck
jon