Bristleworm? Good, Bad or otherwise

SoCalJake · 07/04/2007, 10:55 AM

Seen this guy twice in as many weeks. I think he's the reason one of my fingers hurt after arranging the live rock.

Never seen the whole body, so not sure just how long it may be. It appears to be the only one.

Anyway, opinions?

Dubbin1 · 07/04/2007, 11:00 AM

They are harmless and I'm sure you have many more lurking about.

kkyyllee · 07/04/2007, 11:09 AM

there a good part of ur cuc

DrBCool · 07/04/2007, 01:07 PM

I think they are good up to a point . I have a billion of them in my small tank and there are some big ones in there . I am looking to thin my population out a bit by use of a 6 line wrasse , which I am told will eat some bristle worms

SoCalJake · 07/04/2007, 04:37 PM

Thanks. This guy was a hitchhiker. I've heard some mixed opinions regarding their presence, so I thought I'd ask before I noticed too many of them.

NeveSSL · 07/04/2007, 04:52 PM

I don't know about harmless, dubbin1 (they sting!

), but I think they are good additions in general. Just don't go grabbin' at 'em.

Brandon

BWine · 07/04/2007, 05:51 PM

I've had my current tank running for 6 months now and I have yet to see any bristleworms in my sandbed. I was wondering if I should purchase some to add life to my sand bed.

NeveSSL · 07/04/2007, 05:57 PM

I'm thinking about adding some to mine as well. I'm probably going to do an order from ipsf... they seem to have a pretty good deal overall.

Brandon

bbehring · 07/04/2007, 05:59 PM

Coral banded ship prey on bristleworms. I have several in my fuge and display. All good here.

Sk8r · 07/04/2007, 06:00 PM

Your first specimen from a good reef shop will probably have a few.

loosecannon · 07/04/2007, 08:47 PM

Drbcool: The best thing for eating them, is Stenopus hispidus and, Pseudochromis paccagnellae.

SoCalJake · 07/04/2007, 08:53 PM

Thanks everybody. So the general consensus is don't worry?

kkyyllee · 07/04/2007, 09:00 PM

yeap, there good

SoCalJake · 07/04/2007, 09:03 PM

Good, because I just found another, on the opposite side of the tank.

Do they move around a lot or generally stay confined to the rock I see them on?

kkyyllee · 07/04/2007, 09:24 PM

they go in rock and sandbed

bbehring · 07/05/2007, 10:13 AM

they move around at night scavaging for detritus/food.

Dubbin1 · 07/07/2007, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by NeveSSL
I don't know about harmless, dubbin1 (they sting! ), but I think they are good additions in general. Just don't go grabbin' at 'em.

Brandon

Sissy

reefworm · 07/07/2007, 07:46 AM

Don't spend $$ for them if you can avoid it - it's actually amazing what some sources charge for them. LR from any source may well have some as hitchhikers, and/or if you know of a fellow reefer nearby, see if you can get some from them - offer to trade something to be polite. EXCELLENT scavengers! I used to trap them out of my tank, until some kind folks here filled me in. Just look at my BB name

SugarFox03 · 07/07/2007, 07:50 AM

My tank has been set up around 14 months, and I saw my first bristleworm last night!! It was very small, about the diameter of a pencil lead from a mechanical pencil (maybe a little thicker...) and about an inch long.

I kinda like him.

hubris007 · 07/07/2007, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SoCalJake
It appears to be the only one.

Then i'd wager you've got hundreds. These are not something to worry about. They're just part of your cleanup crew.

reefworm · 07/07/2007, 10:06 AM

as hubris sez - they're like cockroaches - if you see one you've got tons. Use a red-filtered flashlight after lights out and see what you've got.

07/04/2007, 10:55 AM	#1
SoCalJake Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: San Diego Posts: 38	Bristleworm? Good, Bad or otherwise Seen this guy twice in as many weeks. I think he's the reason one of my fingers hurt after arranging the live rock. Never seen the whole body, so not sure just how long it may be. It appears to be the only one. Anyway, opinions? __________________ I killed a six-pack, just to watch it die!

07/04/2007, 04:37 PM	#5
SoCalJake Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: San Diego Posts: 38	Thanks. This guy was a hitchhiker. I've heard some mixed opinions regarding their presence, so I thought I'd ask before I noticed too many of them. __________________ I killed a six-pack, just to watch it die!

07/04/2007, 04:52 PM	#6
NeveSSL Got tubes? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 6,759	I don't know about harmless, dubbin1 (they sting! ), but I think they are good additions in general. Just don't go grabbin' at 'em. Brandon __________________ I am proof that post count is not directly proportional to "reef IQ". Zip Ties = Reef Duck Tape Geek it till it MHz!!! Current Tank Info: 180g Build in Process

07/04/2007, 05:51 PM	#7
BWine Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Brandywine, MD Posts: 230	I've had my current tank running for 6 months now and I have yet to see any bristleworms in my sandbed. I was wondering if I should purchase some to add life to my sand bed. __________________ Mike Current Tank Info: 210 gal, 75 gal Sump/Refugium, MSX300a Skimmer, 4 AI SOL Blues

07/04/2007, 05:57 PM	#8
NeveSSL Got tubes? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 6,759	I'm thinking about adding some to mine as well. I'm probably going to do an order from ipsf... they seem to have a pretty good deal overall. Brandon __________________ I am proof that post count is not directly proportional to "reef IQ". Zip Ties = Reef Duck Tape Geek it till it MHz!!! Current Tank Info: 180g Build in Process

07/04/2007, 11:00 AM	#2
Dubbin1 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Findlay, Ohio Posts: 11,540	They are harmless and I'm sure you have many more lurking about.

07/04/2007, 11:09 AM	#3
kkyyllee Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: rescue ca Posts: 963	there a good part of ur cuc

07/04/2007, 01:07 PM	#4
DrBCool Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Athens Posts: 235	I think they are good up to a point . I have a billion of them in my small tank and there are some big ones in there . I am looking to thin my population out a bit by use of a 6 line wrasse , which I am told will eat some bristle worms

07/04/2007, 05:59 PM	#9
bbehring Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Hemet, California Posts: 917	Coral banded ship prey on bristleworms. I have several in my fuge and display. All good here.

07/04/2007, 06:00 PM	#10
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Your first specimen from a good reef shop will probably have a few. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

07/04/2007, 08:47 PM	#11
loosecannon Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: port kent Posts: 1,292	Drbcool: The best thing for eating them, is Stenopus hispidus and, Pseudochromis paccagnellae. __________________ I like getting WET! Current Tank Info: 44gal. 40 gal. 75 gal. 30gal. and working on a 75gal. rigt

07/04/2007, 08:53 PM	#12
SoCalJake Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: San Diego Posts: 38	Thanks everybody. So the general consensus is don't worry? __________________ I killed a six-pack, just to watch it die!

07/04/2007, 09:00 PM	#13
kkyyllee Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: rescue ca Posts: 963	yeap, there good

07/04/2007, 09:03 PM	#14
SoCalJake Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: San Diego Posts: 38	Good, because I just found another, on the opposite side of the tank. Do they move around a lot or generally stay confined to the rock I see them on? __________________ I killed a six-pack, just to watch it die!

07/04/2007, 09:24 PM	#15
kkyyllee Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: rescue ca Posts: 963	they go in rock and sandbed

07/05/2007, 10:13 AM	#16
bbehring Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Hemet, California Posts: 917	they move around at night scavaging for detritus/food.

07/07/2007, 07:46 AM	#18
reefworm Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Waxhaw, NC USA Posts: 2,139	Don't spend $$ for them if you can avoid it - it's actually amazing what some sources charge for them. LR from any source may well have some as hitchhikers, and/or if you know of a fellow reefer nearby, see if you can get some from them - offer to trade something to be polite. EXCELLENT scavengers! I used to trap them out of my tank, until some kind folks here filled me in. Just look at my BB name __________________ "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: 29 gal. reef/assist with 75 gal. at the school

07/07/2007, 07:50 AM	#19
SugarFox03 Animal Behaviorist Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: West Palm Beach, FL Posts: 528	My tank has been set up around 14 months, and I saw my first bristleworm last night!! It was very small, about the diameter of a pencil lead from a mechanical pencil (maybe a little thicker...) and about an inch long. I kinda like him.

07/07/2007, 10:06 AM	#21
reefworm Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Waxhaw, NC USA Posts: 2,139	as hubris sez - they're like cockroaches - if you see one you've got tons. Use a red-filtered flashlight after lights out and see what you've got. __________________ "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: 29 gal. reef/assist with 75 gal. at the school