Worm
- Thread starter bigdads
- Start date
reefnut
Active Member
Take a look through here and see if you can find it...
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/163864/reef-worms
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/163864/reef-worms
vickicj
Member
I just noticed that I have alot of bristle worms in my live rock - some are pretty big too...they are living inside and under the live rock in several places throughout the tank - from what I was able to see I've got about 15 - 20 of them in various sizes...something tells me that even though these types of scavengers are considered good for the tank, that this many can't have a positive impact...please someone help me out here - this seems like too many - any suggestions on getting rid of them? Also, how big do these things get?
socal57che
Active Member
I have hundreds in both tanks and the only problem I've had is they tend to steal food from my brittle stars (I had about 60 tiny stars, 1/2 inch to3inch dia., come in on live rock). They keep my sandbed spotless. I'd call them "good"
Some of them are 5" long or more.
Some of them are 5" long or more.
reefnut
Active Member
something tells me that even though these types of scavengers are considered good for the tank, that this many can't have a positive impact
I don't see it to be anything but positive... their population will be determined by the available food source so if you want to minimize their reproduction, make sure not to overfeed.
I don't see it to be anything but positive... their population will be determined by the available food source so if you want to minimize their reproduction, make sure not to overfeed.
vickicj
Member
Just an FYI folks, these worms have now eaten both of my twinspot gobies...I started handfeeding my fish so not so much food would end up on the sand bed or in the rock for the worms to eat and i guess they got hungry. I know there is one that is quite HUGE and I'm now in the process of taking out each piece of liverock to snag the little suckers. They are definitely NOT a good thing to have in the tank
Also, I suspect that they killed my Coral Beauty - she ended up with a pretty nice gash on her side and she hung out over near the rock where the big guy lives - anyway, she died of the gash...
nigertrigg
Member
If you really want to get rid of them don't worry unless you have a reef tank. You can add a triggerfish or a puffer and they will be happy to eat them for you. But if you have any type of reef tank than have fun catching them. But really, triggers and puffers will do a good job.
W
winstew
Guest
Won't some wrasses eat'em up too?
mudplayerx
Active Member
Try to cut your feeding down, both in amount of food and frequency of feedings. This will cause the worms to slowly starve. Be patient and they will decrease in numbers. Don't worry either, your fish will be fine with less food.... they can live over two weeks without food before suffering.
nigertrigg
Member
Originally Posted by mudplayerx
Try to cut your feeding down, both in amount of food and frequency of feedings. This will cause the worms to slowly starve. Be patient and they will decrease in numbers. Don't worry either, your fish will be fine with less food.... they can live over two weeks without food before suffering.
No don't do that. The worms will just go after your fish. You got to get rid of em now!!!
Try to cut your feeding down, both in amount of food and frequency of feedings. This will cause the worms to slowly starve. Be patient and they will decrease in numbers. Don't worry either, your fish will be fine with less food.... they can live over two weeks without food before suffering.
No don't do that. The worms will just go after your fish. You got to get rid of em now!!!
mudplayerx
Active Member
Originally Posted by nigertrigg
No don't do that. The worms will just go after your fish. You got to get rid of em now!!!
I've never heard of 4-5" bristleworms preying on fish.
No don't do that. The worms will just go after your fish. You got to get rid of em now!!!
I've never heard of 4-5" bristleworms preying on fish.
gold strip
Member
I have never seen or heard of a bristleworm catching or killing a fish. That would be the equivilant of an earthwork catching a bird.
I think your gobies probably died of something unrelated and then the bristleworms did what they are supposed to and cleaned up the mess. As for the gash on your Coral Beauty, they spend a lot of time swimming in and out of liverock and it probably found a sharp piece. If you have a tang in the tank then that might be the cause of the gash as well.
You can try to take the worms out but once they are in there, they are in there. Chances of ever getting them all are nearly impossible. The best you can do is get a sixline and hope he keeps them thinned out.
I think your gobies probably died of something unrelated and then the bristleworms did what they are supposed to and cleaned up the mess. As for the gash on your Coral Beauty, they spend a lot of time swimming in and out of liverock and it probably found a sharp piece. If you have a tang in the tank then that might be the cause of the gash as well.
You can try to take the worms out but once they are in there, they are in there. Chances of ever getting them all are nearly impossible. The best you can do is get a sixline and hope he keeps them thinned out.
nanomantis
Member
go with an arrow crab or a six line wrasse. it is quite entertaining to watch an arrow crab catch them and tear them apart :-D
mudplayerx
Active Member
Originally Posted by billy mac
becareful not to touch a bristle, they pack a nice punch, if you do get stung, there legs get stuck in your skin , the best way to get them out is to wash in ice water and they kinda fall out.
I have heard that putting duct tape over the sting and quickly removing it will pull out the bristles as well.
becareful not to touch a bristle, they pack a nice punch, if you do get stung, there legs get stuck in your skin , the best way to get them out is to wash in ice water and they kinda fall out.
I have heard that putting duct tape over the sting and quickly removing it will pull out the bristles as well.
vickicj
Member
I don't know, but I have actually read on other posts on other boards that larger fireworms/bristleworms can attack and devour slower moving fish (like gobies); as for the coral beauty, maybe they didn't cause her death because there is a tang in there and he was the first suspect before my gobies went missing...all i can say is that i'm putting a trap in tonite and hopefully will catch the biggest one - it's HUGE! I'm also going forward this weekend with removing the LR and getting as many of those things as I can. I had thought of a sixline but need a large one since that worm is so big, I don't want another poor fish to die :-( Thanks for all y'alls help on this - I'll keep you updated!
bang guy
Moderator
Originally Posted by billy mac
becareful not to touch a bristle, they pack a nice punch, if you do get stung, there legs get stuck in your skin , the best way to get them out is to wash in ice water and they kinda fall out.
Soak the affected part in vinegar and the bristles will dissolve.
becareful not to touch a bristle, they pack a nice punch, if you do get stung, there legs get stuck in your skin , the best way to get them out is to wash in ice water and they kinda fall out.
Soak the affected part in vinegar and the bristles will dissolve.