Bye Bye Bristle...

[fishie]

I had a Bristle Worm that grew to about a foot long and just this weekend took it out - rock and all.
I tried traps but only half its body went in the trap, and when I tried to grab it - it would shrink back into the rock.
This thing was NASTY. It was destroying my tank - killing turbo snails by the dozens and any shrimp would be gone within 48 hours.
I vote NO on the Bristle Worm Question.

 

[bang guy]

You may notice that your shrimp & snails die even without the Bristle Worm. If so, then keep in mind that these two inverts are the most suceptible to heavy metal poisoning. Now, without the Bristle Worm you won't have anything to clean up the corpses.

 

[nerdy]

I had the same school of thought on bristle worms. Then when I removed all of them some things went downhill that I can atribute to thier removal. So if you scoop any more out send em my way!!!

 

[spsfreak100]

The bristol worms diet doesn't include live invertibrates or fish
The shrimps most likely died and the worm went to clean it up. You then probably saw the worm over the shrimp or snail and blamed the worm for the death. Hydrovascular stress could easily cause the death of the shrims or snails, as well as many other reasons.
By the way, I have 2 bristol worms reaching almost 2 feet. I've never had, and never expect, any problems with it.
Take Care,
Graham