death to the bristleworm

[seans tank]

man i hate bristle worms it seems no matter how hard i try i can never kill those pests. i have a coral bandit shrimp ,and it dosent really help. does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[alten78]

keep them, good part of the cleanup crew

 

[jcpatella]

I hate the way they look, but they are a good part of the cleanup crew. Plus, they're free!!! If you really want to get rid of them, there are "bristleworm traps" that the LFS (local fish store) might have. It's a pencil-thin tube that allows them to crawl in, but not out. I doubt it would work that well, though.

 

[julianp]

They're just harmless detrivores. One of the best cleanup crew members a tank can have in my opinion because of their ability to clean in-between the hard-to-reach areas of the rockwork.

I have a 10 gallon set up right now with the specific goal of breeding them and a few smaller snail species.

 

[bertoni]

If there are lots of bristleworms in sight, there's probably lots of food for them. Cutting back on feeding might be appropriate.

 

[dileggi]

Some of the pseudochromis...dottyback's will eat them. I have an indigo dotty in mine. I must admit though, I still see bristleworms and I've never seen the dotty eating one!

 

[uscharalph]

They are good for your tank. The big ones creep me out though.

 

[Salamander]

Send 'em to me. I can always use more.

 

[Deb91]

I saw an online sight last night selling them as the "best part" of their cleanup crew package.

 

[reefworm]

I'm sure you get the picture by now - the worms are your friends. I agree with salamander - I could use some if you're so inclined When I was starting out I went through the same hassle of trying to catch them, blaming them for damaging corals. Not so. They eliminate dead and dying tissue - detecting it long before we do - and then get blamed by association. People pay good money for the less than attractive but needed critters

 

[kzickovich]

I had way to much once a rock that I bought was packed with them I got one of my wifes ntlons layed it in the tank and put some rock ruble on it. They slither onto the nylon and can't get of.

 

[drillsar]

One of the reasons to where gloves when you handle the rocks. I agree if you dont want them send some to me.

 

[gummi]

Arrow Crab will eat them.