Tank over taken by bristle worms! are they good or bad?

[stuart_nash83]

i have two tanks a 450 litre and a small breeding tank. My small breeding tank however (which contains two clowns, some living rock and a flower pot) has in the last couple of weeks seemed to be taken over by bristle worms.

I am getting very mixed responses as to whether these are good for the tank or not and was wondering if some one could shed some light (bareing in mind that this is a breeding tank)

Also what is the best way of ridding these pest for good? (if they are indeed pests)

i have set up a bristle worm trap which i purcahced in my local fish shop but unless i empty the worms out as soon as they enter they seem to get out. I caught 17 the other night the other night with tweezers and their are still so many in the tank!

Also if they are a pest for my breeding tank are they any good for my big tank?

 

[Fishboy42]

I've never considered bristle worms a problem for broodstock tanks, and I have them in all of them (incl. the ones without sand). They don't bother the clowns or their eggs and make good scavengers. The only thing I don't like about them is the pain from those fiberglass-like bristles.

I do remove some when I see that the population is rising to keep it in check (and as a form of nutrient export), but I've never made an effort to rid tanks of them altogether. I think in heavily-fed broodstock tanks they do a good job of cleanup.

Matt

 

[David M]

Ditto what Matt said. I actually import b-worms into new tanks until I see there are enough of them. Of course too much of anything can be a problem, if you feel like you need to thin them out that is fine but I certainly wouldn't be trying to eradicate them. Excellent scavenger IMO. LFS will tell you they are bad, why? Because you don't have to BUY them They want you to get rid of the b-worms and then come running desperately to buy snails to fill the niche

 

[Dman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8294455#post8294455 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by David M
They want you to get rid of the b-worms and then come running desperately to buy snails to fill the niche

And as far as I'm concerned snails are nowhere near as efficient (sp) at cleaning up debris as snails as most snails eat algae not detrius and excess food.

 

[stuart_nash83]

Thanks ive been told that they are scavengers and am worried that they will eat my clown fish's eggs/spawn so is defenately not the case?

i also have quite alot of speghetti worms i understand they are fine too please let me know if this is incorrect.

Tonight i have removed 8 mixed sized worms with a bristle worm trap but will see what the tank is like at feeding time tomorrow morning. If the number seems to have gone down i will leave the rest and just try and keep the quantity controlled rather then try and rid them from the tank completely.

i have not been stung by a bristle worm as of yet but i hear its very painful any experiences please share.

 

[Fishboy42]

The bristleworm sting isn't that painful, but it's still not pleasant.

I've never heard of or seen the worms hurt clownfish eggs, and I asked a few people about it a while back, so I wouldn't worry about it. I don't think spaghetti worms would hurt clown eggs, but my only experience with them is in reef tanks, and they didn't do any harm there.

I also add bristle worms to new tanks (along with other worms, pods, mini stars, mini limpets, snails, etc) to start up the population -- better scavengers than snails, safer than hermits, and cheaper than either!

 

[saltytoes]

Consider an arrow crab it would eat its fair share of the worms and help keep them at an aceptable level. Not sure if it may become a nest invader, but i would think the parents would keep him away.

 

[David M]

Pain is relative, if you are the type who is traumatized by a paper cut the bristles will be intoleable. If you can stand up after a fall and say "oh damn, I broke my leg" you'll hardly notice them.

Basically it's no different that getting a fiberglass hair stuck in your finger, irritating but it won't kill you.

Poll: How many here are old enough to remember "glass wool" b/f "filter floss" ? :lol: Boy did THAT stuff suck

 

[saltytoes]

lol ah yes glass wool some coconut carbon and a corner filter and you were good ta go!
BTW the best way to deal with the bristles is some duct tape just hope theres no hair involved in the affected area!