Bristle worm pest

[Tecnomantis]

Please share your experience. How did you keep your bristle worms under control? I don't want to get rid of them completely but i want to keep it under control.

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[SeaCucumberFan]

Bristle worms are beneficial not pests.

 

[Ztous]

Anything you don't want in your tank could be considered a pest. Some people think GSP is a pest.

 

[Grimreaperz]

I have had 3 in my tank since the beginning they came on LR. I had 7 removed a few and others got lost in substrate swap out. But now that I have let the 3 get big. They rarely reproduce and any babies I see go into my Fuge here's a pic of my bristle worm family. Biggest one is guessing 10inches

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[Grimreaperz]

Please share your experience. How did you keep your bristle worms under control? I don't want to get rid of them completely but i want to keep it under control.

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In addition my advice would be take out as many as you can (put them in the Fuge if you have one) reduce feeding. (As there will only be as many as there is food to feed them) let the couple you left in there get big and they will keep the rest in check. If you are seeing an explosion of them you are probably feeding a bit to much. Just my 2 cents

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[SeaCucumberFan]

My point is WHY would you NOT want bristle worms in your tank? They're great scavengers. I have a fear of earthworms and bristles are fine with me.

 

[CafeReef]

my only concern I have ever had with bristle worms is I had one that was over a foot long in my first tank. I finally caught it and removed it. The only reason I did so was because my tank was only a 21g nano and I was concerned if it died it would nuke my tank from an ammonia spike. I miss Bruce, he was a good dude, but he's in a new tank now...sadly not mine.

 

[ScienceRulez]

My experience so far is that bristle worms are good at population self control. You could try getting a Wrasse, but for the most part I agree with everyone else here that they are great for cleaning things up.

 

[Sk8r]

Let's say that when a winter blackout did in my sand-life, I went on a quest for bristleworms. Essential---in exactly the number you're feeding. If you want fewer worms, feed the tank less.

 

[ihavecrabz]

Coral banded shrimp love to snack on bristle worms!

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[homer1475]

If you want fewer worms, feed the tank less.

This x1000

They will self regulate their population. Meaning, if theres available food they will reproduce, if there isn't enough food to sustain the population they die off. One of the easiest pet's I've ever had.

 

[deleau]

This x1000

They will self regulate their population. Meaning, if theres available food they will reproduce, if there isn't enough food to sustain the population they die off. One of the easiest pet's I've ever had.

Just don't try to pet them...

 

[homer1475]

Just don't try to pet them...

Why would you want to pet them? You don't pet your fish, do you? :lolspin:

 

[vashawn]

they make my skin crawl......

 

[ssick92]

I had a few large ones in my previous tank, and I miss them. I wish I had at least 1 in my new tank... Maybe one day one will spontaneously generate :lolspin:

But OP -- I agree with others that they should be welcomed, and if you feel that you have too many then simply feed less.

 

[juniorrocketdad]

I agree that they are beneficial but they are the stuff of nightmares

 

[Tecnomantis]

I don't mind having them on my tank, but I have count over 25 in a 33 gallon tank, the tank itself doesn't have any fish yet, I bought life rock, live rock came with them. But the tank looks so crowded with so many worms. Would you encourage me to leave them alone? I am trying to have them under control, imagine when I start feeting the tank something other than coral food?

 

[xREEFINaintEZx]

They are good for the tank. Only bad thing is they can/will sting the heck out of you. When that happens you have to pull out bristles and soak your fingers in vinegar.

 

[reef thief]

I hate them. Zero B worms. Plenty of stars. Wrasse to police the chaos.

 

[deleau]

Why would you want to pet them? You don't pet your fish, do you? :lolspin:

I can hand feed two of my fish (rabbit & one wrasse), and the rabbitfish lets me touch him (and he doesn't flare his fins).