Bristleworms??

[chunkylover817]

So ive been hearing alot about bristleworms, both good and bad, mostly bad....so i wanted to know what facts are true, b/c ive heard from lfs that worms are good and some people actually buy them for inhabitants in their tank, and some stores tell me that they are just plain bad for a reef tank, and they actually killed like 3 6" worms in front of my face, so i guessed they were bad news.Is this true??

 

[urbanthreatz]

They're not bad IMO, they're GREAT detritivores and keep things pretty clean. All of us have heard horror stories about them.

 

[bane]

I also hear there they're great detritivores.

 

[FloatingFish]

I used to pull them out also. But now I leave then in as part of the clean up crew.

 

[vanmo92]

I think they are great, and important for your tank. They eat detritus and keep things clean. There are a few species of bristleworms that are harmful, but those are extremely rare in aquariums.

 

[downhillbiker]

and it does no good to try and remove them because they will always be there. i thought i had none in my new tank setup, and then moved a rock and they were everywhere. they are good for your tank. i would only worry if you see them get like 10" long and fish start dissappearing, but i dont think that really happens.

 

[donski]

10 years ago everyone would be saying BAD ..get rid of them at any cost but it turns out they don't do any harm...at least thats the common opinion now. Probably got a bad rep because they are so ugly and nasty looking. The hobby evolves.....

 

[chunkylover817]

thanks for the info guys and i agree with donski and the fact that they do look ugly and nasty for me!i guess ill have to evolve....hehe

 

[Brickyardpub]

from what i've read their mouths don't have the capacity to eat tissue that is not already dead. When most people see them on corals i believe they are only removing unhealthy or dead tissue. Natures way , similar to the technique of putting maggots into readlly bad infections that the strongest antibiotics can no longer help with. It's nasty, but the maggots do a better job of removing the dead tissue than any surgeon could.