how to remove bristleworm from the system?

[waynefort]

In the last night, i have found the large bristleworm in my tank and he is a larger i ever see in my tank before about the size of juvenile centipede (5 inch), it body is grooved pattern grey in color with white spike , much like a caterpillar, i dont't know how he get in there, the last time i add a piece of fresh life rock is about 2 month ago and no sign of larger creature, only a feather duster, coralline algae, and rarely a micro brittle star, i don't have a picture due to poor qualitify picture but these little critter are really surprised me, i heard this worm would harm a tank inhabitant if they became larger, it could eat a fish as my damsel like to hide in the rockwork as his territory ( same place where i spot this worm last night) , however, this bristleworm are hard to see catch as they will quickly retract in to hole, many people say to avoid touching the animal with finger as they bristle would be a real pain, did anyone know how to catch and remove them from my tank, i have enough CUC in my tank, i don't need this one

Equipment : 20 gallon dolphin tank, Fluval c4 HOB filter, mini protein skimmer, 20 wk LED, mini wavemaker, mini cooling fan, 5 kg fresh live rock, and coral sand

critter : ocellaris clownfish (mated pair), 1 bicolor dottyback, 1 bluetail damsel, 1 turbo snail, 1 purple starfish, 1 colt leather coral, 1 green finger coral, 1 green and yellow zoanthid

 

[AdamD76]

I have a pair of cooking chop sticks I use. I added a needle to the end to harpoon large bristle worms. Works for me.

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[Sugar Magnolia]

Bristleworms are beneficial to the system. They get into cracks and crevices and keep the tank clean. They can't catch and eat fish.

 

[eastlake]

plus one to what sugar magnolia said, and, the population will regulate itself based upon food that is available to them so you don't have to worry about a huge population bloom. The spines, should you get a couple in your fingers, feel like fiberglass slivers if you've had those before they're more annoying than painful. If you want to trap some out though you can put a soda bottle in the bottom of the tank at night with some brine or mysis and they'll likely crawl right in for an easy meal. But again, I recommend leaving them alone to clean out the rock crevices, jut my two cents.

 

[d0ughb0y]

some people don't care how beneficial they are.
you can get bristleworm traps, just check to make sure it is big enough to catch the one you want out.
also google or youtube diy bristleworm trap.
if you don't have a wrasse, get one if you want all the small ones gone as well.

 

[Rilelen]

My roommate speared our giant bristleworm with a barbecue tong. I don't care how beneficial it was, I couldn't bring myself to put my hands in the tank knowing that monster was in it. :/

We spent a few weeks trying to trap it (to give it away), before giving up and going the grilling implement route.

 

[ReefMonkey714]

Me personally I can't stand them lol at night I bait them using a water bottle containing chopped up shrimp with slits on the bottle just big enough for them to enter.

 

[ReefMonkey714]

You'll be surprised how many come out lol