Green Mushroom vs. Bristleworm

uberlink

uberlink

Active Member
The bristleworm population in my tank has been growing of late, so I thought perhaps I'd start sucking them out with a turkey baster if the opportunity presented itself. While I recognize the value of bristleworms to the cleanup crew, I'd rather not get overrun!
So tonight I saw a small one (about an inch long) crawling along the rocks, and I sucked him up. But the little bugger got away and landed on top of one of my green mushroom corals....which promptly closed up around him, and hasn't opened since!
So who will win? My money is on the mushroom...
 
bsd230

bsd230

Member
If your having a lot of bristleworms I would buy a arrow crab they do a great job of controlling them.
 
poniegirl

poniegirl

Active Member
You HAVE to keep us posted! Toxin for toxin...
Seriously, though, I certainly hope your mushroom can expell the worm if it needs to.
I have been stung by bristleworms and the injury was quite noticable to me for two weeks! Not pain the whole time, but a definite transformation of my skin on that finger.
 
my way

my way

Active Member
Originally Posted by bsd230
If your having a lot of bristleworms I would buy a arrow crab they do a great job of controlling them.
Along with snails and small fish among others.
 
1journeyman

1journeyman

Active Member
A lot of Bristle worms are a sign of excess nutrients. Find out why the population is growing.
Not all Bristle worms are toxic. "Fireworms" are a type of Bristle and can deliver a painful sting.
 
1knight164

1knight164

Member
I watched my cleaner shrimp grab one of them baby sized buggers and eat it. Shocked the hell out of me. I was told banded corals eat them as well. True? I have a banded coral but haven't seen it eating worms. But I don't have a big bristleworm problem. Maybe because the BC is eating them?
 
seannmelly

seannmelly

Active Member
The only time I would actually remove a bristle worm is if they are an overrunning population, if you actually witness them eating something they shouldn't be, or get way too big. I had one that was 7" pushing 8 and 9"!! A pair of grilling tongs took care of him. The biggest fire worm I've seen was 3-4" not stretched out which is huge IMO. Those things KILL when you get stung by them. And the bristles stayed in my finger for 3 weeks!! With bumps, itchy, swollen and the like. So don't touch any if you can help it. The only thing I've seen actually eat a bristle worm is an arrow crab. But I am sure there are fish out there that eat them also. I've heard pseudochromis do? But I could be mistaken. Good luck w/ them! I've not seen them in my tank for the past 9 months!
 
uberlink

uberlink

Active Member
I really don't have much of a problem with the bristleworms. There is one in there that is pretty large (4" or so), but they form the front line of a great cleanup crew. I likely do need to cut my feedings down a little bit, perhaps just every other day or so. Frankly, I don't know what possessed me to grab this little guy, beyond the fact that I saw the opportunity. And then I felt merciful...but out of the frying pan and into the fire.
The mushroom looks like a million bucks. Didn't skip a beat.
 
fish-man-t

fish-man-t

Member
imo the worm is not inside the mushroom at all!!infact i think that the worm stong the mushroom witch coused it to close up! again imo
 
uberlink

uberlink

Active Member
Possible, I guess. Although I watched it the whole time after the worm landed on the mushroom, and I didn't see the worm crawl away. Who knows, though?
 
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