How to rid of fire worms? cook the rock?

tonggao

New member
Hi just bought some live rocks with fire worms in them. Is cooking the rock going to get rid of them? If not, how can I get rid of them? Thanks in advance.
 
I'm doubting they're fireworms, which are rare to the point of only once being detected in my experience on this forum...more likely they're pacific bristleworms, which are an asset to your tank, and you would only be wanting more of them later.
 
Are they fire worms, or just plain old bristle worms?
http://melevsreef.com/id/bristleworm.html

bristleworms.jpg
 
I'm nursing two fingers that have been zinged by the little darlings in my tank, but that was my fault---grabbed up a rock I knew was inhabited.

Rock cooking is such a PITA it's a good thing to be real sure, besides which it's a shame to do in the good sort---get a photo and an id from our resident experts in the invert forum. They'll know for sure.
 
I am sure they are fire worms (I have a lot of harmless brittle worms in my tanks), they looks the same as the fire worms in the picture by funman1, and the seller also told me that they are fire worms also. Could you tell me if cooking the rocks will get rid of them? Thanks.
 
those are bristleworms lol in funmans pics


your seller doesnt know jack. and no cooking wont kill them.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8067631#post8067631 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tonggao
I am sure they are fire worms (I have a lot of harmless brittle worms in my tanks), they looks the same as the fire worms in the picture by funman1, and the seller also told me that they are fire worms also. Could you tell me if cooking the rocks will get rid of them? Thanks.

Fireworms and Bristleworms are the same thing really... Though for some reason some aquarists like to claim they're different and that fireworms are "bad" while bristleworms are not. There are over 100 different species of Fireworms/Bristleworms, only a few of them are predatory and the ones that are are usually fairly easy to recognize and get rid of.
 
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the only successfull way of getting rid of them that ive heard of besides be lucky enough to reach in with tongs and grab them ( which i actually have never heard of) is setting baited traps. take a tall glass and lean it up against the rock work so its almost vertical, or fully vertical if you can? and put some food stuff in the bottom of the cup. when the worm enters the cup for the food it ends up getting suck in the cup because it cant climb back up the smooth glass walls. the cup would have to be pretty tall considering the length that these worms can grow to.
and, now that i think of it, that was a trick i learned for catching crabs....lol
good luck
 
Yeah, I think fire/bristle worms are the same. I just take the rock out and scrub with a brush and then rinse in cold fresh water with the hose outside. They kinda fall off.

Through a six line wrasse in the tank or some similar fish, pseudochromis work too. They eat the small worms and then your population will fall over time. I use to have a bunch in one reef tank, the six line was added and now there are none.
 
If you want a good cleanup crew then don't kill them. They are great animals for the tank, you should be happy to have them. Any Yes they hurt if you touch them -- don't!
 
I have a large bristleworm i am harboring.. not sure if i lost him in my last downsize where I got rid of some rock or not. When I setup my 125 (probably a year ago) he was about 16" lol.. Good cleaners as long as they dont get out of hand.

If you do want to get rid of them still.. six line wrasse, traps mentioned above, etc..
 
Fireworms and Bristleworms are the same thing really... Though for some reason some aquarists like to claim they're different and that fireworms are "bad" while bristleworms are not. There are over 100 different species of Fireworms/Bristleworms, only a few of them are predatory and the ones that are are usually fairly easy to recognize and get rid of.

This is true. The bigger bristleworms are a PITA since they prevent the aquarist form sticking their hand in without the fear.

Although they are natural and do help break down junk in the aquarium, I prefer not to have them as there are other ways to break down junk and these other ways do not steal food from corals, sting me, and possibly injure fish.
 
They do not "steal food from corals", they do not "harm fish", they have no jaws and are are not predatory. They are scavengers and nothing comes close to their efficiency in your CUC. They are one of the first on the scene when something dies and needs to be cleaned up. This is usually why they get blamed. Their population is also self limiting, the more food that they have, the more of them you will find. If the needles irritate you, surgical gloves are the answer, which you should be wearing any time you are putting your hands where you cannot see them.
 
Every time I see one of these threads a little piece inside me dies. Like Sk8r said, Bristleworms are not fireworms. Please don't cook your rock just to kill a ghost. Besides, biodiversity is the best thing you can have in your tank... worms included.

-al-
 
I have never understood where the "kill the worms" mentality comes from. These guys are so good at keeping the sand bed and rocks cleaned. Why get rid of them? I am hoping to get more. I lost so many when I upgraded my tank and replaced the sand bed.
 
I have never understood where the "kill the worms" mentality comes from. These guys are so good at keeping the sand bed and rocks cleaned. Why get rid of them? I am hoping to get more. I lost so many when I upgraded my tank and replaced the sand bed.

I think I may know. There was an old aquarium book that listed them as serious danger to your tank. I think they were talking about that rare species that is a hazard and not the garden variety. But they made it sound as dangerous as a deadly Australian box jelly :lol:

If I remember correctly they had them on the same list as a blue ringed octopus.
 
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