Can't catch my bristleworms!

[stokedhawk]

Does anyone have any tips on catching bristleworms? I know the small ones are beneficial, but we have spotted a few really big ones (at least 3 inches and we didn't even see the end, the rest of it was in a hole). We bought a bristleworm trap and have been putting the mealworms that came with it in there, but nothing. We also have long plastic forceps, but it was too fast for that. I think one of our big bristleworms got a snail the other day (found the shell upside down right next to the hole it comes out of with nothing in it). Also, saw one going after one of our turbos, but the snail got away when we tried to catch the worm. Any ideas?
Thanks

 

[promisetbg]

I lure them out with food at night and stab them with a fork.

 

[dingo0722]

Are they causing any problems? I leave my bristle worms alone. I have seen a few 3+ inchers in my tank, but they never hurt any of my coral or fish. If they killed a damsel, that would be just fine though

 

[maxalmon]

Originally Posted by promisetbg
I lure them out with food at night and stab them with a fork.

LOL

 

[maxalmon]

Ok, no expert at this, but I have discovered that you can dip the LR in club soda and it will flush the guy out along with everything else, then rinse the LR in water change water and put back into the tank. I was kinda shocked when I was told this is a last resort to getting them, but it works..

 

[reefreak29]

i leave mine alone personally but u could get an arrowhead crab itll eat em up

 

[stokedhawk]

Ok, that will be a last resort, the pieces of LR that the 2 are in are very large and of course under alot more of our LR. Is there any type of food that works better than the other?
Thanks for the tips

 

[stokedhawk]

I'm pretty sure one of them got one of our turbo snails.

 

[maxalmon]

Have you tried doing the lights out early and using a flashlight with some red cellophane over the bulb, give it a few hours after you turn the lights out, you might be able to catch him out in the open.

 

[crzyfshygy]

A coral banded shrimp will eat them. I had good amount in the tank and he got them all. Also what I did was sneak up on the tank about 1 hr after the light went out and located them. Then got my turkey bastor and sucked them up. that works well also.

 

[stokedhawk]

That's a good idea - turkey bastor. Will try that one tonite.

 

[stokedhawk]

Will the shrimp eat really big ones though? Wrasse are supposed to eat them too, but apparently our wrasse doesn't like the taste We always wait till lights out and use the flashlight w/red tissue paper too. Thanks for all the ideas and input.

 

[crzyfshygy]

My 6line never ate them like he is supposed to. The coral banded shrimp will eat what ever size he can catch. Trust me

 

[saltfan]

Originally Posted by crzyfshygy
My 6line never ate them like he is supposed to. The coral banded shrimp will eat what ever size he can catch. Trust me

REally??? I have a rather large Coral Banded, and I've seen some small and some quite large worms in my tank. Then again, I've never actually seen him eat, cept what he steals when its feeding time in the tank.

 

[tankslave]

I broke open a clam one night (when cooking seafood for dinner) and put in for my niger, next morning I took out leftovers so it would not spoil in tank and it was full of big bristles.
Don't know if that is a bad idea for any reason and wasn't why I put it in but it worked.
Also....what is different in post and quick post?

 

[promisetbg]

TS, the difference is no frills in the quick reply{smileys,icons,attachments,etc.}

 

[jswan10]

hello everyone.
i have a BB reef tank and my bristle worm comes out all the time during the day. ive never really researched them before untill now. this worm in my tank is about 10 inches long, i havent realized it until now but my snails die all the time, is this the problem? is the worm killing them, i think the worm is on his way out tonight
what do u guys think?

 

[promisetbg]

You may have a polyclad flatworm..they only come out at night. I just found one in my tank a few weeks ago the size of my hand. I finally just took the rock he was hiding under out and washed it into the sink with hot water. It was killing most of my snails and I could'nt keep a conch at all. I would definately remove a 10" worm.

 

[stokedhawk]

turkey bastor didn't work, the big ones never fully come out of their holes, so it's too easy for them to get away. will try again though.

 

[little]

Night time is by fare the best time to go after them . . . If you cant get all of him . . . get what you can . . . the other half will run away die off and then his friends will take care of the rest! Do that enough and your population will drop/ the big nasty ones will go away at least! You can all so cut back on the amount of food you are feeding, a Rise in population is a good indicator you are over feeding.
Hope that helps
Little