Wormy rock

michelle l

michelle l

Member
Hello all
I managed to score a GREAT deal on a batch of live rock that will come in very handy in the 240 gallon that my husband and I are in the process of setting up. I found an ad placed by a co-worker in my company's newsletter advertising 125 pounds of live rock for $200. When I actually got it home and weighed each tub, I found that I really got closer to 200+ pounds. The rock doesn't have much color (besides some green algae), but some of the pieces are very large and will make a great base.
I filled a 32 gallon trash can to the brim with rock and started circulation on it. This morning I got up to find the top of the water teeming with pods and to my slight repulsion, dozens of fat bristleworms everywhere in the crevices of the rock. I don't know if they've come to the surface because of more oxygen or what, but I hope that the rock isn't permeated with them all of the way through to the bottom of the pile of rock.
They are all small, around two inches or less. Will they be harmful in such large quantity, and if so, how do I elimate most of them without harming the other creatures??
 
michelle l

michelle l

Member
R/O, salt, just like I would use in the DT.
I've been told that without adequate light to the bottom of the trash can, the worms and other organisms will die off anyway. While that isn't really what I want, it's not a huge issue to me because I will also be using some rock that I am getting from a vendor, so the organisms in it will eventually spread back into this rock. I was just taken aback to see so many bristle worms!
 
poniegirl

poniegirl

Active Member
I had a huge bristleworm population! While they do fascinate me, it got so crowded that they were all over in plain sight and climbing up the CORNERS OF MY TANK. Unacceptable.
A wonderful guy at the LFS guided me away from the crab fix I wanted (Arrow or Decorator) because they are destructive little beasts. He introduced me to my Fairy Wrasse. The wrasse has controlled the population of smaller worms. The only ones left are the BIG rock dwellers, who I count on as the best cleanup crew, bar none.
Keep the wrasse in mind if the worms get out of hand.
Additional note is that at first I was worried about aggression, but it seems the wrasse is non-aggressive, but doesn't back down either. Great fish in community.
 
michelle l

michelle l

Member
Someone in another forum had mentioned wrasses as well, which is a great thing because I am in love with Fairy Wrasses. I had already planned on keeping some. It's an added bonus that they help control pests!! Thanks for the help....
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
If you don't overfeed and are not overstocked then the Bristleworm population will decline naturally.
 
poniegirl

poniegirl

Active Member
Originally Posted by Bang Guy
If you don't overfeed and are not overstocked then the Bristleworm population will decline naturally.
I just realized, this was probably directed to my situation. Funny no one had mentioned the overfeed thing to me. It's probably true. I've learned to use a lighter hand at feeding and have also finally heard about using a "bowl" to feed the seahorses, which everyone likes! (Except the tomato clown, who doesn't leave his anemone alone long enough for it to meet someone else!)
I appreciate the advice.
 
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