Reef safe fish that eats HUGE bristle worms?

[FishAndAquatics]

I need some help quickly! I picked up one of my rocks and found dozens of 8 inch bristle worms under it. I quickly pulled as many as I could out of the tank and there was this massive one, I think it's around 9 and a half inches, that grabbed a peppermint shrimp that had just molted. I have a 60 gallon reef tank and need a good fish that will eat the big ones. Any suggestions? I don't want a sixline:fun5:

 

[hotelbravo]

why would you possibly want to remove bristleworms they are such a valuable part of a reef tank?

I think it's around 9 and a half inches, that grabbed a peppermint shrimp that had just molted.

they dont attack things that are healthy but if something is near death it will smell it and proceed to try to eat it

 

[FishAndAquatics]

Oh it's not that. I just have so many that they've taken over my entire sand bed and all the small holes in the rocks. I would keep smaller ones but the bigger ones need to go.

 

[Calappidae]

They're actually pretty harmless even when huge. I know somebody who had a sand bed of worms (literally) and he didn't mind.

But, if you really want them gone, you can bottle trap them and give them away, or depending on your other livestock, you can try an Arrow crab which actively eats them.

 

[Shawn O]

Put on rubber gloves, pick up rocks, grab any worms you can and pull them out. I pulled out several from my rocks and removed a ton of them from the empty shells that were put in for the hermits. The attached pics are of the first half of the worms I removed. However, if you ever want to intentionally increase your worm population, throw in a couple dozen empty snail shells near the rocks. They make great worm maternity wards.

 

[hotelbravo]

Put on rubber gloves, pick up rocks, grab any worms you can and pull them out. I pulled out several from my rocks and removed a ton of them from the empty shells that were put in for the hermits. The attached pics are of the first half of the worms I removed. However, if you ever want to intentionally increase your worm population, throw in a couple dozen empty snail shells near the rocks. They make great worm maternity wards.

Man id love to have that many in my tank but it seems like something is keeping mine from reproducing I have to add a handful every few months. I feed very heavy so I know they can eat but ive had a suspicion my marine betta has been eating them. Never witnessed it though.

 

[Sk8r]

If you have that many, they are consuming an overage of nutrient. Removing them may adversely affect your tank chemistry.

 

[Betta132]

Nothing reef-safe will eat worms that large.
Are you certain they're bristleworms? Bristleworms don't eat healthy things. Do you have a picture?
If you have that many huge worms, you're feeding way too much. Bristleworms are scavengers that are generally beneficial, but too much food results in a lot of worms. Even then, they aren't technically harmful, they're just a bit of an eyesore. Also a fingersore, if you touch them.

 

[snorvich]

If you have that many, they are consuming an overage of nutrient. Removing them may adversely affect your tank chemistry.

Bristle worm population expands as nutrition to feed them increases. Your situation suggests over feeding. As Sk8r says, there may be a chemistry issue if the are removed.

 

[ginpang]

If you give up the fish idea ... Arrow crabs cut their head off then eat those bristle worms like they're mr. Freeze super fun to watch!

 

[snorvich]

If you give up the fish idea ... Arrow crabs cut their head off then eat those bristle worms like they're mr. Freeze super fun to watch!

Arrow crabs can also take fish.

 

[swhobbie1]

A sixline will eat some. The rest let them eat up the extra food your fish don't. I've had populations of them increase, decrease. I consider them good CUC members. Never had a reason to get rid of any.

 

[ginpang]

Reef safe fish that eats HUGE bristle worms?

Arrow crabs can also take fish.

Really!?!? [emoji33]What types of fish? I've always had gobies because It's no secret I like them [emoji3] and arrow crabs together and it's never been an issue. Perhaps the crabs never got big enough to be a threat? Or the tank was always (maybe overly) well fed that they never went rogue on me!??

 

[Calappidae]

Arrows crabs (like all crabs except a few) are oppertunistic eaters, if they're hungry and a fish is sluggish infront of them, it's food.

 

[Betta132]

Arrow crabs are not safe for gobies, blennies, clownfish, or any other lazy small fish. They have to get at least reasonably large first, but it doesn't take long. Sometimes the gobies get lucky and manage to avoid the crab when it's hungry, but it's still not a good plan to keep vulnerable fish with arrow crabs.

 

[ginpang]

Wow had one threes years with clownfish, mandarins, jawfish, blennies and gobies without any problems. Though back then my pair of stonogobiops nematodes had a pistol shrimp with them.
Kinda makes me afraid for my little yasha by herself now...Thanks for the tip.