the tank at night

[misfit]

I have had my 120 tank set up for like 8 weeks now, I just went down to see if i could catch me 8 inch bristleworm(i think thats what it is)so i took my flashlight and shined it in the tank saw my worm and about 2 to 3 dozen very small worms some were like white and some reddish brown and a whole bunch of little like real tiny ants running around the tank like mad and go into the rock when the light shines on them.then i saw in a few spots where it was like small pieces of thread comming out of the rock and pull back in.and during the day i never see any of it.
Can any one explain this I know im just a newbe and i dont recalll reading anything on this.
Thanks

 

[mike347]

That’s all perfectly normal they are nocturnal meaning come out at night and are good critters that clean and stir the sand and stuff. A huge worm about 8 inches I’m not sure if it would be destructive because I’ve never had one that big. A cool thing I did though was get a mini mag flash light at home depot its cheap and a red sharpie marker. Take the plastic lens off the flash light and color both sides with the red sharpie put it back on and a cheap viewing gadget at night has been created. OH why red because inverts can't see red light but fish can so don't freak them out to much. Also I go very lite on feeding my fish and population of bristle worms is almost zero Its makes the clam happier

 

[misfit]

thanks for the info ive read about 6 line wrasses to clean up the critters or worms with they work at night

 

[mike347]

Using a predator to eat something is cool at times, but many times they eat things you don't find is so cool. I learned the hard way once and when you have 90 pounds of live rock that you spent hours on end designing the formation even before it goes in, its painful to think you may need to break it down, to remove the problem that you introduced. Make sure you have a plan of removal just incase it attacks another species of whatever. I was lucky that my tank didn't have many corals but now my rock has that bond stuff to make sure the structure stays as is. I would suggest searching this board first for after affects of the six line, it is my understanding that they are peaceful as of this moment but I have never kept them in a reef with things like feather dusters and so on.

 

[misfit]

i did research them, there are a couple dozen of small worms in the tank along with one that is about 8 in long which i want out.I have read anything that big should be removed. I just dont want an out break of bristl worms in the tank i know they do good alot of the times, like i said i dont want them to over come the tank

 

[evilss]

i wouldnt worry about the worms either. they are a very good sign. they will help out your tank alot more than you give them credit for. as far as the 8" one. if you dont like him get just him out. but leave the others. you will want them going thru your substrate.

 

[mike347]

The big one will have to be trapped. Use a piece of fresh shrimp from the grocery store at night. I'm not sure if it needs to be cooked first I’m sure someone would have the answer or a better idea of bait. Also if you can get the rock out of the water where the big one is with no loss of life spray it with a spray bottle containing water from your tank every so many minutes to keep it only moist. The big worm should leave the rock to look for water keeping organisms on your rock alive; however, for the smaller ones you can't get rid of all bristle worms I didn't like them much at first at all. If you keep a clean tank with good feeding habits they will reduce greatly. I feed every other day and not very much considering I have a good clean up crew. Over time and yes things take time they will perish to such small numbers that they will be rendered non existent. Some people use some natural predators when keeping clams in the tank because bristle worms can damage them, but I don't have any predators of bristle worms and my clam is always out. I havn't even seen one in months and I used to see them when I over fed long ago.

 

[misfit]

the color of the worn is like orange i would guess to say
I have seen the worm behind my anemone a few times buried in the rock and the anemone shrivels up for a while
ive tried baiting this thing.it dont work, and I've tried to catch this one, if i could take the anemone out i would remove the rock and do what Mike347 suggested, he wont move and I dont want to pull him out and stress him out.
And why not use cooked shrimp.I always use frozen then thawed in fresh RO water and then i feed.
Thanks for all the help.

 

[liquidskys]

I Cant see your anenome shriviling up due to the worm!
I mean i have tons of bristle worms and some fire worms too i belive and they crawl all over my zooanthids and all around my mushroom and they have no effcet on them at all..
Not that they are the same as anenomes but still..
I had one that was about 4"-6" long.. I seen him out one night and took one of those fake plastic credit cards you get in the mail and just gabbed it down into the substrate on all foru sides of the worm.. I havent seen the big one since but i have a few about 2" long now
If possible maybe try that.. just take and cut him in half or if possible in 3's or 4's it wont kill him but you will add more worms to your tank which isnt ever a bad thing!

 

[mike347]

I went back and read your original post. Your tank is very new and very big which is very cool. OK I am thinking the rock is cycled or isn't and still has plenty of die off going on that could be supporting your bristle worm problem. Also I'm thinking your worms probably came in on the rock and you don't have an outbreak at all in reality. Try just keeping your tank really clean at this stage, as some time goes by and your live rock becomes lean and mean from not over feeding, your large bristle worm may fall for one of those bristle worm traps bated up but at the moment it probably doesn't need your bait as there is plenty of food around. Just keep trying to get your tank on the correct path at this time unless you start seeing real destruction, but I think your mind might be more bothered then anything else as I was when I first started. I never kept an anemone so I won't act as if I know what to do with it. I wouldn't want you to stress it out. I'm taking a total shot in the dark at this point but is it possible to get the anemone to move away from the rock by creating some shade of some sort. I will repeat again I am not anything close to an expert with anemones but in theory I feel it may be possible just so you can get to the rock and rid yourself of the bristle. I wont lie to you a bristle of that size might even bother me quite a bit, but I would just keep the tank super clean which you should be doing anyways and use the trap. every night sooner or later he will become used to the trap and venture in when ideal food is in short supply in your tank. Relax your not alone with bristle fear phobia it takes time to get over it.

 

[flatzboy]

Originally posted by Mike347
I went back and read your original post. Your tank is very new and very big which is very cool. OK I am thinking the rock is cycled or isn't and still has plenty of die off going on that could be supporting your bristle worm problem. Also I'm thinking your worms probably came in on the rock and you don't have an outbreak at all in reality. Try just keeping your tank really clean at this stage, as some time goes by and your live rock becomes lean and mean from not over feeding, your large bristle worm may fall for one of those bristle worm traps bated up but at the moment it probably doesn't need your bait as there is plenty of food around. Just keep trying to get your tank on the correct path at this time unless you start seeing real destruction, but I think your mind might be more bothered then anything else as I was when I first started. I never kept an anemone so I won't act as if I know what to do with it. I wouldn't want you to stress it out. I'm taking a total shot in the dark at this point but is it possible to get the anemone to move away from the rock by creating some shade of some sort. I will repeat again I am not anything close to an expert with anemones but in theory I feel it may be possible just so you can get to the rock and rid yourself of the bristle. I wont lie to you a bristle of that size might even bother me quite a bit, but I would just keep the tank super clean which you should be doing anyways and use the trap. every night sooner or later he will become used to the trap and venture in when ideal food is in short supply in your tank. Relax your not alone with bristle fear phobia it takes time to get over it.
Why don't you delete your post mike because it is very misleading and could send people in the wrong direction. Obviously you have know clue to what your talking about as magic karp stated worms are very bennificial to our tanks. Also has he stated worms is part of what makes your liverock ALIVE as with pods and millions of other critters. If you think bristle worms are harmful to our systems then why do't you explain your theory.:nope:

 

[mike347]

Man I hate to tell you this but I never said worms are bad. Some people don't like worms and it seems he didn't like the big one. When I don't know something I admit it. I'm not in competition with you guys so relax. I don't have a bristle worm problem because I feed very little which I said. Some people including myself at one point or another run into something they don't like. I myself at once didn't like bristle worms but have learned to control many problems in my tank. Once again I don't consider bristle worms a problem but if they were over running your or my tank I would think something is up. I also said beware of using certain predators I don't think that’s misleading. If you read the post you will clearly see I was trying to calm the person down and giving simple options for removing 1 worm that’s correct just 1 big worm. The one part I had no clue about was the anemone and clearly stated that. What part was it the spraying a piece of live rock with a bottle and tank water to get the critters out of the rock with little damage. People have been using that method with mantis shrimp and bristle worms for some time now. I mean I don't know you and you don't know me but one thing I can tell you is I have respect for other people and their ideas. Also I’ve read some of the posts from your buddy and ragging on people can't be that helpful in any trade, I'm a little surprised that a moderator isn't on to your little fits you guys have had with other people already. Take a deep breath count to ten and remember theres no I in team.

 

[misfit]

Man I've been on the site for only a little bit,and i take everybodys opinion closely.I will not just jump and do the first thing that the first person tells me to do, I will do my reaseach and i do know that the worms are a good part of the tank.
IF it wasn't for THIS message board I probley would'nt know what I know now.I read some interesting artical and i do some research.
I do know that the one worm i have in the tank is at least 6 to 8" and i have read that,that size of a worm should be removed.
And this is all i have to say. Thanks Mike347,FLATZBOY,Magic_Carp,liquidskys,and evilss
I Value your opinion now and i will in the furture

 

[belothsurf]

Once again, all advice given on this board should be taken with a grain of salt. Even experts disagree with each other, on some points. There are so many variables in this hobby, that what may work for one, may not work for another.
I don't think someone should be jumped upon, so to speak, because they give an opinion, (unless the opinion has been challenged, and argued, in a somewhat mature way).
I also don't think opinions should be stated as fact, (unless the opinion has been challenged, and argued, in a somewhat mature way).... Or it is just a given, proven, known fact.
JMO..........
p.s. Bristleworms are good

 

[baddlord77]

AAAAA-MEN.....

 

[flatzboy]

Originally posted by Mike347
Man I hate to tell you this but I never said worms are bad. Some people don't like worms and it seems he didn't like the big one. When I don't know something I admit it. I'm not in competition with you guys so relax. I don't have a bristle worm problem because I feed very little which I said. Some people including myself at one point or another run into something they don't like. I myself at once didn't like bristle worms but have learned to control many problems in my tank. Once again I don't consider bristle worms a problem but if they were over running your or my tank I would think something is up. I also said beware of using certain predators I don't think that’s misleading. If you read the post you will clearly see I was trying to calm the person down and giving simple options for removing 1 worm that’s correct just 1 big worm. The one part I had no clue about was the anemone and clearly stated that. What part was it the spraying a piece of live rock with a bottle and tank water to get the critters out of the rock with little damage. People have been using that method with mantis shrimp and bristle worms for some time now. I mean I don't know you and you don't know me but one thing I can tell you is I have respect for other people and their ideas. Also I’ve read some of the posts from your buddy and ragging on people can't be that helpful in any trade, I'm a little surprised that a moderator isn't on to your little fits you guys have had with other people already. Take a deep breath count to ten and remember theres no I in team.
You didn't actualy say they were bad but you pretty much made in soud like they are bad without saying it. I wasn't flaming you, I was just pointing out that your info. is wrong and shouldn'y be taken. I didn't want misfit to take that advice and go crazy trying to remove something that is benificial to his system.

 

[mike347]

I understand you think I meant something or came close to saying, but if you read the first sentence of my very first post you will clearly see what I actually said and how I feel about critters. Everything after that were secondary options that misfit could look into even though I already have long ago when I myself was nervous about big bristle worms. Anyhow I hope this accusation is of a passed conclusion now and let’s concentrate on helping people not shooting them down for an avenue of options. Oh and Sorry misfit that this thread turned out the way it did.