Bristle Worm Problem

ixp7633 · 12/07/2007, 10:08 PM

I have a big problem with bristle worms in my tank, is there anything i could buy to eat the worms???

demonsp · 12/07/2007, 10:10 PM

This shows some critters that eat them.GL http://www.melevsreef.com/id/crawls.html

bertoni · 12/07/2007, 10:15 PM

If there's lots of bristleworms, that's an indication that too much food is going into the tank for the current nutrient export to handle.

LockeOak · 12/07/2007, 11:46 PM

The bristleworms themselves are not going to hurt anything, but like bertoni said they have to be eating something, probably fish food. Cut back on your feeding and they'll die off. I personally wouldn't add anything just to eat bristleworms, just cut off their food supply.

ixp7633 · 12/07/2007, 11:57 PM

i looked and heard arrow crabs may help.. any thoughts on that?
Or just cut back on food supply

Salamander · 12/08/2007, 12:54 AM

They're good creatures to have. Not really something I'd try to get rid of. Most tanks have tons.

uscharalph · 12/08/2007, 12:55 AM

Reminds me of the story where you add something to eat one thing and then you add someting to control that thing and so on. LOL!!!

aquawolf · 12/08/2007, 09:47 AM

Unless you have one that is like 3 feet long and taking over your tank, I would not over feed and just let them be. They are extremely good scavengers and will help keep the tank clean for you, just don't try to pet one.

uscharalph, I agree with your old lady and fly comparison.

Sk8r · 12/08/2007, 10:15 AM

If you have too many bristleworms cut back on feeding; if you kill them off now, you could hurt your tank, because it still has too much biomass, and they wouldn't be in this number if they weren't busy saving your tank from overfeeding.

Newlin · 12/08/2007, 10:43 AM

The two that I have had good luck with is the 6 line wrasse and the coral Banded Shrimp. I had to take my wrasse out cause he was starting to get mean. But, the coral banded shrimp is doing great and he will pick up any thing that you over feed with.

Timbor · 12/08/2007, 10:46 AM

Yeah, I wouldn't worry too much about the bristleworms either.
They are more indicative of the nutrient levels in the tank. If they have less food, they will decrease in number.

I have heard that arrow crabs are pretty good at eating them, but I think there may be a slight risk to other tank inhabitants with an arrow crab (from what I have heard)

Tim

Sk8r · 12/08/2007, 10:49 AM

Slight risk from any crab; and coral banded shrimp is a predator on small fishes. The bristleworms are no problem. Most that you import to eat them are apt to eat your livestock.

12/07/2007, 10:08 PM	#1
ixp7633 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: pittsburgh pa Posts: 50	Bristle Worm Problem I have a big problem with bristle worms in my tank, is there anything i could buy to eat the worms???

12/07/2007, 10:15 PM	#3
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	If there's lots of bristleworms, that's an indication that too much food is going into the tank for the current nutrient export to handle. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/08/2007, 12:54 AM	#6
Salamander Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Flagstaff, Arizona Posts: 2,103	They're good creatures to have. Not really something I'd try to get rid of. Most tanks have tons. __________________ I feel more like myself now than I did before. Current Tank Info: 120g mixed reef, 2 x 250W DE MH, 2 x 54w T5, MSX 200 SKimmer, 2 Koralia 4's, 40g fuge/sump, QT

12/08/2007, 12:55 AM	#7
uscharalph Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 1,248	Reminds me of the story where you add something to eat one thing and then you add someting to control that thing and so on. LOL!!! __________________ Ralph Mendoza Jr. Long Beach, CA Current Tank Info: 80 Gallon Reef Tank

12/08/2007, 09:47 AM	#8
aquawolf Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Martin, South Carolina Posts: 343	Unless you have one that is like 3 feet long and taking over your tank, I would not over feed and just let them be. They are extremely good scavengers and will help keep the tank clean for you, just don't try to pet one. uscharalph, I agree with your old lady and fly comparison. __________________ Most good judgment comes from experience. Most experience comes from bad judgment. Current Tank Info: 75 Reef, CPR CY294, Home Made Refugium, Coralife Aqualight Pro 48" Dual 150 MH / 30 Gallon Sea Horse Tank / 40 Gallon FOWLR

12/07/2007, 10:10 PM	#2
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	This shows some critters that eat them.GL http://www.melevsreef.com/id/crawls.html

12/07/2007, 11:46 PM	#4
LockeOak Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Athens, GA Posts: 839	The bristleworms themselves are not going to hurt anything, but like bertoni said they have to be eating something, probably fish food. Cut back on your feeding and they'll die off. I personally wouldn't add anything just to eat bristleworms, just cut off their food supply.

12/07/2007, 11:57 PM	#5
ixp7633 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: pittsburgh pa Posts: 50	i looked and heard arrow crabs may help.. any thoughts on that? Or just cut back on food supply

12/08/2007, 10:15 AM	#9
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	If you have too many bristleworms cut back on feeding; if you kill them off now, you could hurt your tank, because it still has too much biomass, and they wouldn't be in this number if they weren't busy saving your tank from overfeeding. __________________ 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%.

12/08/2007, 10:43 AM	#10
Newlin Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Noble, Ok. Posts: 227	The two that I have had good luck with is the 6 line wrasse and the coral Banded Shrimp. I had to take my wrasse out cause he was starting to get mean. But, the coral banded shrimp is doing great and he will pick up any thing that you over feed with. __________________ Everything that I own is for sale, click my little red house for info. Local pickup only.

12/08/2007, 10:46 AM	#11
Timbor Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 554	Yeah, I wouldn't worry too much about the bristleworms either. They are more indicative of the nutrient levels in the tank. If they have less food, they will decrease in number. I have heard that arrow crabs are pretty good at eating them, but I think there may be a slight risk to other tank inhabitants with an arrow crab (from what I have heard) Tim __________________ "I bet a funny thing about driving a car off a cliff is; while you're in midair you still hit those brakes... Hey, better try the emergency brake! - J.H." Current Tank Info: None currently

12/08/2007, 10:49 AM	#12
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Slight risk from any crab; and coral banded shrimp is a predator on small fishes. The bristleworms are no problem. Most that you import to eat them are apt to eat your livestock. __________________ 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%.