Bristleworms friend or foe?

[archie1709]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=991794

Bristle worms. Friend or foe?

If foe, how do you euthanize this creature without being all medieval?

 

[the other tang]

I was told by my lfs that they are both, friend as a small worm eating detrius and foe as a nightcrawler sized menace. He informed me that they are not a issue when kept in check, and keeping their #'s in check is as simple as feeding light ly for a few days and nature will run its course. The out break occurs when a reefer is a cronic overfeeder which is well most of us. i think there are other contributions here from them, another organism stirring the sandbed can't be bad. As for euthanizing the freezer is the only way i have heard for any fish/invert. Once hypothermia sets in well its naptime. Some live and die by the shrimp in a piece of panty hose as a trap in the bed, I never got it to work. I just watch the ammount of food actually hitting the bed.

 

[J. Montgomery]

I accept bristleworms as a member of my reef community

My policy is to leave everything alone until its shown itself to be a menace.

 

[cchoffman]

And you are worrying about hurting a worm with barely a nervous system. If you are going to kill it, kill it. Smash it, throw it in the garbage, feed it to the birds, they are still going to die. I know freezing to death in not a way to euthanize anything. Getting to the hypothermia point is anything but pleasant.

Just accept the point we make decisions to kill or not to kill lifeforms. It is debatable whether worms even feel pain or not.
J.Montgomery has the best advise. Just leave them until they are a problem.