Bristle worms

[fishstixs05]

My reef tank is suddenly fulll of these guys. Any tips on effective removal and/or prevention?

 

[moumda]

They are one of the best members of your cleanup crew. Don't take them out IMO. If you have an explosion of them in your tank it could show you have excess food or waste in your system. If you do want to get rid of them there are fish that will eat them (butterfly fish? ).

 

[Malum Argenteum]

moumda's right -- leave 'em in there. I love all my little BWs.

 

[drummereef]

Never had a problem with a bristleworm in the 10+ years I've been reefing. They are good imo.

 

[fishstixs05]

Ok, ok Got the message. I won't worry about them overrunning my tank. Thanks for the info

 

[drummereef]

Just don't try to pet them.

 

[coralnut99]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10169557#post10169557 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drummereef
Just don't try to pet them.

Actually very good advice. I was moving some things around in one of my frag tanks last night and came across a nice fat 3-incher that would've been more than happy to give me a few quills to the finger. When I run across a jumbo specimen, I yank it. The smaller ones, as advised are more than welcome, and a vital part of the big picture. But if you have that many, you should really see that as a sign of over-feeding or some maintenance is a bit overdue.

 

[loosecannon]

Pseudochromis paccagnellae,and Stenopus hispidus eat`um.

 

[BCreefmaker]

iv seen bristol worms get to the point of being a problem (i.e. entire tank bottom is covered), but they were really just the effect, not that cause (over feeding).

 

[TIMMYE]

I agree leave them, but when I see ones that 3+ inches I try to pull thoese ones. Or when I do reaquascape and they fall out of the rock, I do not put them back in as the come back fairly fast.

 

[sinister52]

how do the repuduce do the split apart. i usally tank out the bigger ones also. i dont see to many in my tank right now

 

[acrohead500ppm]

the only reason BWs get a bad rep cause they are found on dead fish/coral or in dead clams but the animal died b4 the worms got there in most cases.. . the only species of coral to be worried about is tubastrea sp. or sun coral as birssle worms tend to bore through the skeleton to reach gastric cavity after coral feeds

 

[Maxi]

http://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=2227&N=0

banded coral shrimps. From the information on there. I'm getting one soon. You might want to have one to keep the population under control so it doesn't get out of hand.

 

[BeanAnimal]

If the worm population is "out of hand" then you have much bigger problems.

 

[reefworm]

here's some discussion and reading that should cover things for you:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1180166

 

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10404199#post10404199 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BeanAnimal
If the worm population is "out of hand" then you have much bigger problems.

Exactly. Work on your nutrient export. You have tons of bristle worms because you have tons of bristle worm food in your tank.