What is going to eat bristle worms?

G

gwhunter

Guest
I know bristle worms are not a bad thing at all but want something that's reef safe and will keep them under control. I keep reading that coral banded shrimp eat them but I've got on and he's not interested in the least bit. I've also got two skunk cleaners and they don't touch them. I've read arrow crabs will and also six line wrasse's are supposed. I don't think the arrow will get into the tight spots the bristle stay in and also fear issue's with the other shrimp in the tank. So I'm leaning toward a six line. Is there anything else? I know cutting down on pods is also supposed to help.
Matt
 
jimmyr1rider

jimmyr1rider

Member
Have heard some peoples coral banded shrimps have gone to town on their bristleworms- but sometimes can be agressive towards fish as well. I only bring up about fish aggression because my buddy just had to rid his tank of a coral banded because it attacked all of his fish but other people on here have had them eat bristles with a good nature.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Honestly, I would not add any animal for the sole purpose of removing a beneficial creature in your tank (or a pest for that matter).
I'm not a fan of the larger bristle worms, those I usually pluck out when I see them, the little ones I leave be.
I've owned a sixline and a coral banded, neither touched bristle worms, but both were extremely aggressive.
Cut down on feeding, sometimes a larger bristle worm population is do to excess nutrients (fish food) in your tank.
 
halamaya

halamaya

Member
+1 I loved teh colors of my sixline but after 8 monthes he snapped and killed some shrimp, my dragonet and a fairy wrasse. Never saw him eat any worms though.
 
jimmyr1rider

jimmyr1rider

Member
BTLD I totally agree but was saying more along the lines of theyre a beautiful addition anyway and if it ate some of the worms they were talking about would be a plus. But good point.
 
i<3reefs

i<3reefs

Member
Lets just say there are far more bristle worms in your aquarium than you can ever dream. My aquarium recently crashed, and there was near a 1" layer of them dead on my sand. I owned a coral banded shrimp, and yes I would see him eat them occasionally. I always figured he ate them at night, when I was asleep.
If I could shake my aquarium, it would have looked like a snow globe of dead bristle worms. No joke.
 
rlablan

rlablan

Active Member
I must have gotten lucky when I got my LR cause I have about 4 in my office tank. They are quite large but I know where they are because EVERYDAY when I feed, all four come out of the same exact holes in the rock, grab pellets and then retreat. They are sooo huge but they are great at eating the leftover food and fish waste.
On the other hand, in my living room tank, I am having some issues with excess nutrients and the sand isn't getting cleaned well. But it has occurred to me that I have never once seen a bristle worm in there. I have looked night and day and I have never seen evidence of them at all.
You want less bristle worms, and I need more. lol funny how that works.
 
hunt

hunt

Active Member
sinse ive had a six line wrass i havent seen bristle worms as often as i used to. Mine is also not very aggressive.
 
en_pissant

en_pissant

Member
I had an arrow crab that chowed my feather dusters, and bristle worms. He was awfully aggressive toward my fish, but I don't think he was capable of hurting them.
As for being able to get into a small place, that arrow crab has really long narrow claws, I think he can get into wherever he wants.
That said, I got rid of my arrow crab because I like feather dusters.
 
reef_dart21

reef_dart21

Member
Here is how i keep my bristle population under control:
1. Get a container with a lid and make and x mark in the lid
2. Push the mark into the container so the points are sticking inwards
3. Place a cube of brine,mysic, etc (doesnt really matter)
4. Leave in tank over night
5.Check in morning, remove container and put the bristle worm where you want
*NOTE* This method sometimes take a while but never took me longer than 4 days.
EDIT: DO NOT TOUCH THE WORM ONCE ITS CAPTURED, THEY CAN HURT YOU
 
rlablan

rlablan

Active Member
Reef dart- Do you have a picture of this method? I would really like to see this do-hickey that you created so I can make one to transfer bristle worms? Sorry, I am a visual learner.

Rae
 
mech-a-nic

mech-a-nic

Member
I dont mind the brissle worms. But my Sixline keps them under controll. And brissles dont hurt you. Fire worms there evil cousions do. There is a differance.
 
reef_dart21

reef_dart21

Member
Originally Posted by rlablan
http:///forum/post/3229693
Reef dart- Do you have a picture of this method? I would really like to see this do-hickey that you created so I can make one to transfer bristle worms? Sorry, I am a visual learner.

Rae
sure i get a picture up later
Originally Posted by Mech-a-nic
http:///forum/post/3229718
I dont mind the brissle worms. But my Sixline keps them under controll. And brissles dont hurt you. Fire worms there evil cousions do. There is a differance.

Sixlines only can eat what they are able to fit in their mouths
And yes its true fireworms due to but BRISTLEworms do also, the legs can cut you and the tiny hairs irritate the wound and not to mention the saltwater does not help.
 
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