Bristleworm fear, adding new live rock...?

[brittanysmith18]

So, a few months ago, I had a horrid bristle worm infestation because I added live rock to my tank that I bought at a store. The bristle worms ate the foot of all my anemones and killed them. I took apart the tank and burned the worms alive in boiling freshwater. Got rid of them finally. I was really upset because I basically had to start over. Now, I have only 2 rocks in my tank and I have 25 pounds that I bought at the store fully cultured. Since I have such a strong fear of getting more bristle worms, I decided I wasn't going to put this rock into the tank just yet. I know everyone is going to freak out, but I dried the rock for 3 days, then scraped the rock with tweezers and stuff along with rinsing in freshwater. After that, I added all the rock pieces to a large bucket, filled it with burning hot freshwater, added a freshwater parasite remover tablet, and about half a bottle of cupertine for saltwater tanks. Now, the rocks have been sitting for 2 days. Do you think bristle worms could survive this? I know it's bad to do to the rocks, but I can't find anywhere that sells base rock, so I had to do this. I know it's bad for the rock again, but I have the stuff to culture it. I just want to make sure that there's no chance bristle worms or their eggs could survive at this point. I'm letting the rocks sit for another day, then spraying them off with the hose to make sure nothing is attached, then letting them dry for a day or two and then adding them to my tank.

Let me know what you think about my precaution measures here..

 

[Jawbone flats]

copper + reef = bad I thought

 

[brittanysmith18]

The rock is separate from my reef tank right now. I will be cleaning the rock well before adding it.

 

[akitareefer]

so the rocks touched copper? you can never use the rock with copper sensitive invertebrates. That copper has been absorbed into the rock and it will remain toxic for a very long time. Even when it is not fatal, you will see detrimental side effects and constant problems with various corals and inverts. Once copper is used, it is Fish Only

 

[Surgical]

Seems like overkill. You could have just left the rock dry for a few days. I had some bristles in a rock, i just took the rockout of the tank and left jt in a bucket. Havent seen them since.

 

[brittanysmith18]

I actually made a mistake when writing this. It is fish only where this rock is going. I'm adding complete base rock to the tank with the corals.

 

[Painted skin]

I never heard of anybody going to that extreme trying to kill bristle worms. If you wanted to nuke the rocks just soaking them in fresh water even boiling is far enough, but to soak them in HALF bottle copper is a bit insane. As long as you never put those rocks with corals or inverts it will be fine, but if you ever decide to sell them rocks and tank I would hope you tell the buyer..

Bristol worms are ugly, but not all that bad for your system as they are scavengers.

 

[reeffoto]

Wouldn't it have been easier to add a fish that eats Bristle Worms?

 

[markaren]

If it is fish only where the rock is going then the Bristol are of no threat, Right?

 

[atreis]

Bristle worms are good detritivores... No need to kill them. Keep them!

 

[sasharotty]

Wouldn't it have been easier to add a fish that eats Bristle Worms?

Lol, this is what i was going to suggest coming into this thread. Many wrasses will clear the tank.

 

[reefman30]

but I can't find anywhere that sells base rock, so I had to do this. .

I'm adding complete base rock to the tank with the corals.

Count me confused.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Bristle worms are good detritivores... No need to kill them. Keep them!

x2

Bristleworms are probably the BEST part of a cleanup crew (CUC) one could have (in a reef, FO or FOWLR) and they did NOT kill your anemone, Britt.

 

[sharkks]

I am probably just piling on but as soon as you decided to go fish only it is too bad you didn't leave everything alone. Both the worms and the bacteria would have been great assets to have in your fowlr.

 

[Dapg8gt]

WOW why the hate on bristle worms.. Are you sure that killed the nems? Never heard of them killing/eating anything that wasn't already dead/dying.

Way overkill IMO why not just buy dry rock in the first place. Even shipping included would have been cheaper buying dry than cured from the LFS.

Like stated above a wrasse would have been easier and now the rock has to be in a Fish only tank. And you will prob have another cycle adding that much recently dead rock to your tank , no matter how much you think you cleaned it there are now dead things all the way to the core of the rock that really should be "cooked" out and then re- cured till levels say its good. In the future an easier method is to just put the rocks in a higher salinity water than normal and watch all the worms/pests come out. Still kills the rock though I think.

I too am a little confused on this post seems to me as if the worms were just cleaning what was already dead. Good luck if I were you I would spend some time in the stickies in the new to the hobby and chemistry sections.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I would go as far as to recommend DELIBRATELY INTRODUCING BRISTLEWORMS into FO, FOWLR and reef systems.

And I do

Misguided info/beliefs are the real culprit here.

 

[E Rosewater]

I second the dry rock. You can buy the caribsea rock from liveaquaria and get free shipping. No parasites and its cheap.

 

[Dapg8gt]

I would go as far as to recommend DELIBRATELY INTRODUCING BRISTLEWORMS into FO, FOWLR and reef systems.

And I do

Misguided info/beliefs are the real culprit here.

Totally agree they get a bad rap from misunderstood info..

 

[thebkramer]

Bristle worms are good detritivores... No need to kill them. Keep them!

x3

x2
Bristleworms are probably the BEST part of a cleanup crew (CUC) one could have (in a reef, FO or FOWLR) and they did NOT kill your anemone, Britt.

x2

I would go as far as to recommend DELIBRATELY INTRODUCING BRISTLEWORMS into FO, FOWLR and reef systems.
And I do
Misguided info/beliefs are the real culprit here.

x2


are you sure you're not confusing bristleworms with something else? I can understand being scared of them due to possibly getting "bristled" or just having a phobia cause their ugly... but they are surely a keeper in any system!!

Good Luck!!

 

[markaren]

I am thinking a phobia because they are ugly might be the driving need to "kill them"..." burned the worms alive in boiling freshwater"..."I had a horrid bristle worm infestation"..."I have such a strong fear of getting more bristle worm"

These are human emotions. These are also reasons enough if you have a fear of them. I have known people to fear things that were quiet harmless. In a tank behind glass, everything is harmless if you keep your hands out.

I think I have read that when something dies a worm will do its job and start eating it.

It is OK for the OP to have a fear of the worms. The appearance of many Bristle Worms might indicate that there is a large amount of detritus in the tank. Meaning that the worms were a reaction to a completely different issue.