bristle worms & misc.

[sassyfrassy]

I have probably a million bristle worms - they multiply like crazy. I though my 6 line wrasse would keep them in check, but not so. Are so many a problem in any way? Also my fuge is BB and I have tons of pods living in the chaeto & LR. Do they need sand? What are they eating? What will eat bristle worms - hermits or crabs? Also w/ such a large pod population, could I have a mandarin? Any problem w/ mandarin & watchman?

 

[HCruzer]

Arrow Crab can help if population is out of control. Give that a shot

 

[dlterry85]

use a nylon pantyhose(cut the foot and use it) and bait it with shrimp. their bristles get caught in the nylon, and you can toss them in the trash.

 

[ehren78]

I've asked this question before and most replies are to keep them in the system and I have. They eat anything! A dying fish or invert will be gone in a matter of hours to the bristleworms. To me they are a part of my success, to my experience they don't bother my corals but do steal some of their food while spot feeding. Just wear gloves when diving into your tank. but if you have to use the nylon trick mentioned above to keep numbers down. I'm not 100% sure but check out a Copperband Butterfly i'm pretty sure they do eat bristleworms but like anything if you feed the tank too much they wont have to eat the bristleworms.

 

[ColaAddict]

Bristle worm population is in direct corelation to how much feeding is available to them. maybe youre feeding too much.

 

[sassyfrassy]

I've asked this question before and most replies are to keep them in the system and I have. They eat anything! A dying fish or invert will be gone in a matter of hours to the bristleworms. To me they are a part of my success, to my experience they don't bother my corals but do steal some of their food while spot feeding. Just wear gloves when diving into your tank. but if you have to use the nylon trick mentioned above to keep numbers down. I'm not 100% sure but check out a Copperband Butterfly i'm pretty sure they do eat bristleworms but like anything if you feed the tank too much they wont have to eat the bristleworms.

So having a zillion of them doesn't seem to be a problem? I know they eat left over food which is one reason I like them. I have picked them up and never been stung. Mine have tons of babies and they are sometimes clustered together in some macro algae so I could easily siphon the babies out if I wanted. I haven't so far b/c I thought they were beneficial - I just didn't know if there was a point at which too large numbers would be a problem.

 

[sassyfrassy]

Another note: asterina stars - why are they bad? I have a lot of those too. Maybe I'm feeding too much!

 

[gooberz]

Hello Sassy,

Can you tell us a little about the fish and aquarium inhabitants you have and how much you usually feed? Maybe what you feed them as well to help us.

Cheers,
Henry

 

[sassyfrassy]

I have 2 ocellaris clowns, 2 clown gobies, 1 watchman & 1 6 line wrasse; I have a purple firefish in the fuge (had to move b/c 6 line was harassing). I have a few mushrooms and a soft tree coral. Lots of asterina stars, bristle worms, pods - and out-of-control grape caulerpa in DT - chaeto in fuge. All my parameters are -0-.