Kill the bristleworms!!! - Page 2

hyperfocal · 06/06/2008, 11:57 AM

It's pretty much impossible to ever have too many detrivores. Their population increases to match the food available. If you have a lot of detrivores it's because you have a lot of detritus. They're there because there is a *need* for them, ecologically speaking. If you remove them without removing their food source, you'll see something else (potentially something that's actually bad for your tank) fill that slot in the tank's ecosystem.

If you want to reduce the bristleworm population safely you have to reduce the food available to them; reducing the amount you feed your fish would be a good place to start.

If everything else in your tank is working, I'd really suggest you let sleeping worms lie. You risk big problems by targeting your detrivores.

jimwat · 06/06/2008, 12:01 PM

I'd like to have more in my tank, but my CB Butterfly has other ideas. He likes to yank small bristles out of the sand, mutilate them, and then NOT eat them

ChuckLawson · 06/06/2008, 12:03 PM

I've tried the trapping thing without much success (they got the bait, spray painted graffiti on the walls of the jar and crawled back to the rocks laughing at me (seriously, it may be that I tried a plastic jar rather than glass, and they were able to climb out))

I may have to give a six line a try. They just look like they've got an awful small mouth compared to the size of the worms.

I'm not really trying to target my detritovores as much as push them down a rung or two on the food chain -- I'd rather they ate what the fish left behind, rather than vice versa...

hyperfocal · 06/06/2008, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ChuckLawson
I'm not really trying to target my detritovores as much as push them down a rung or two on the food chain -- I'd rather they ate what the fish left behind, rather than vice versa...

Right, but (all other things being equal) if you do push them down something else *will* rise up to fill their slot. I suppose you could harvest the worms as another form of nutrient export, but then you'd be setting things up for a fresh population explosion. Personally, I like stability in as many things as possible in a tank -- including populations. YMMV

J4Life · 06/06/2008, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ChuckLawson
I've tried the trapping thing without much success (they got the bait, spray painted graffiti on the walls of the jar and crawled back to the rocks laughing at me (seriously, it may be that I tried a plastic jar rather than glass, and they were able to climb out))

I may have to give a six line a try. They just look like they've got an awful small mouth compared to the size of the worms.

I'm not really trying to target my detritovores as much as push them down a rung or two on the food chain -- I'd rather they ate what the fish left behind, rather than vice versa...

I have seen my sixline eat some pretty big worms when he was just a little tike. Don't let their pointy mouth fool you. They lay the smack down on some bristle worms.

LeslieH · 06/06/2008, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by J4Life
I have seen my sixline eat some pretty big worms when he was just a little tike. Don't let their pointy mouth fool you. They lay the smack down on some bristle worms.

SasquatchFarmer · 06/06/2008, 05:23 PM

I rather like the idea of harvesting some of them (certainly not all) to act as a form of nutrient export (sorta like harvesting cheato). That is a good idea, in my opinion.

I have a six line in a rather small tank, and I still have bristleworms, he may help removes some of them, but may not totally remove them. I like that they will help feed him! Live food!

Fishfreak218 · 06/06/2008, 06:51 PM

i hate bristleworms just because I always end up accidently grabbing one and all their bristles go into my finger and bother me the rest of the day. hence the reason i bleached my rock for my new tank... stupid bristleworms

Fishfreak218 · 06/06/2008, 06:51 PM

i hate bristleworms just because I always end up accidently grabbing one and all their bristles go into my finger and bother me the rest of the day. hence the reason i bleached my rock for my new tank... stupid bristleworms

Mykel Obvious · 06/06/2008, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LeslieH

+1
I love the way a 6-line looks, but wouldn't want one eatin' all my worms!!!

Mykel Obvious · 06/06/2008, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SasquatchFarmer
I rather like the idea of harvesting some of them (certainly not all) to act as a form of nutrient export (sorta like harvesting cheato). That is a good idea, in my opinion.

I have a six line in a rather small tank, and I still have bristleworms, he may help removes some of them, but may not totally remove them. I like that they will help feed him! Live food!

You could sell little worm kits for those who want more

I'd agree with others though... if you have a HUGE worm population, it is most likely due to over feeding... if you start to remove them, keep a very close eye on your water parameters IMO

Mykel Obvious · 06/06/2008, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fishfreak218
i hate bristleworms just because I always end up accidently grabbing one and all their bristles go into my finger and bother me the rest of the day. hence the reason i bleached my rock for my new tank... stupid bristleworms

PBITAWA

...uh, I mean, why not wear gloves?? Safer and allows the detrivores to live and do their job...

detrivores good. bleach bad.

JMO

06/06/2008, 11:57 AM	#26
hyperfocal Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Edge of oblivion Posts: 1,708	It's pretty much impossible to ever have too many detrivores. Their population increases to match the food available. If you have a lot of detrivores it's because you have a lot of detritus. They're there because there is a need for them, ecologically speaking. If you remove them without removing their food source, you'll see something else (potentially something that's actually bad for your tank) fill that slot in the tank's ecosystem. If you want to reduce the bristleworm population safely you have to reduce the food available to them; reducing the amount you feed your fish would be a good place to start. If everything else in your tank is working, I'd really suggest you let sleeping worms lie. You risk big problems by targeting your detrivores. __________________ "Froth at the top, dregs at bottom, but the middle excellent." -- Voltaire Current Tank Info: getting back into the hobby

06/06/2008, 12:01 PM	#27
jimwat Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: South Florida Posts: 1,270	I'd like to have more in my tank, but my CB Butterfly has other ideas. He likes to yank small bristles out of the sand, mutilate them, and then NOT eat them __________________ "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat all day and drink beer." Current Tank Info: 65 gal with 192w PC 10k, 192w VHO actinic, Blue-Moon LED, Tunze 6060 on WavySea, AquaController 3. 20gal sump, Natureef CDECX-1, Phosban Reactor, Remora, Kalk Drip, Ozone.

06/06/2008, 05:23 PM	#32
SasquatchFarmer Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: MN Posts: 70	I rather like the idea of harvesting some of them (certainly not all) to act as a form of nutrient export (sorta like harvesting cheato). That is a good idea, in my opinion. I have a six line in a rather small tank, and I still have bristleworms, he may help removes some of them, but may not totally remove them. I like that they will help feed him! Live food! __________________ Reefing is easier than chasing an escaped Sasquatch. Elusive fellows they are! Current Tank Info: 65 AGA, 2/3 display, 1/3 Sectioned off into a dual fuge (lower cryptic and upper macro algea tumbler) Still under a bit of construction though

06/06/2008, 06:51 PM	#33
Fishfreak218 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: West Palm Beach Florida Posts: 1,412	i hate bristleworms just because I always end up accidently grabbing one and all their bristles go into my finger and bother me the rest of the day. hence the reason i bleached my rock for my new tank... stupid bristleworms __________________ -30g. Oceanic Cube Cuttlefish Reef -90g. Mixed Reef -14g Biocube FW planted tank -10g. frag tank (soon) Current Tank Info: 90g. Reef, 30g. Cube cuttlefish reef

06/06/2008, 06:51 PM	#34
Fishfreak218 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: West Palm Beach Florida Posts: 1,412	i hate bristleworms just because I always end up accidently grabbing one and all their bristles go into my finger and bother me the rest of the day. hence the reason i bleached my rock for my new tank... stupid bristleworms __________________ -30g. Oceanic Cube Cuttlefish Reef -90g. Mixed Reef -14g Biocube FW planted tank -10g. frag tank (soon) Current Tank Info: 90g. Reef, 30g. Cube cuttlefish reef

06/06/2008, 12:03 PM	#28
ChuckLawson Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 383	I've tried the trapping thing without much success (they got the bait, spray painted graffiti on the walls of the jar and crawled back to the rocks laughing at me (seriously, it may be that I tried a plastic jar rather than glass, and they were able to climb out)) I may have to give a six line a try. They just look like they've got an awful small mouth compared to the size of the worms. I'm not really trying to target my detritovores as much as push them down a rung or two on the food chain -- I'd rather they ate what the fish left behind, rather than vice versa...