Too many Fire/Bristle worms!

JustinReef · 01/19/2007, 10:53 PM

Can too many of them cause problems in a reef? I have noticed that they are getting quite big and long!

drummereef · 01/19/2007, 10:58 PM

No, they are fine. Won't hurt a thing.

webbstock · 01/19/2007, 11:01 PM

In general, they are considerd to be fine to have in your tank as small worms. Larger worms have been reported to damage some coral and anenomes etc. If you need to reduce your worm load, I would try some predators first. I believe that arrow crabs, coral-banded shrimp and six-line wrasses all enjoy a bristle worm dinner. I'm sure ther are many other critters that do too, but those just came to mind.

JustinReef · 01/19/2007, 11:08 PM

Don't Arrow crabs also eat corals sometimes though?

bertoni · 01/20/2007, 12:10 AM

Arrow crabs might eat some corals, and they sometimes eat fish. Crabs often are predatory and not that picky about what they eat.

JR719 · 01/20/2007, 12:11 AM

I leave the small ones alone. Once they get about as fat as a pencil, they are removed. Great part of a cleanup crew.

ricanboy57 · 01/20/2007, 01:55 AM

A lot of the time, the worms are cuased by excess feeding or just having too much of what they eat in the tank. Cut back on their food supply and you should see a smaller number (and maybe pick out the big ones)

greenbean36191 · 01/20/2007, 07:59 AM

Why do people recommend picking out the big ones? Fireworm diets don't change as they age. A big one eats the same thing as a little one, only more of it.

JustinReef · 01/20/2007, 11:05 AM

Well, Im not sure what they are eating as I do not have fish in the tank and barely feed anything to the corals...most of the corals I have in this tank do not eat. They came with the LR that was from a 8 year old tank that was taken down, so they were big when I got them. They are not fat like a pencil but really, really long! So, are there fish that will eat them?

Gundo5000 · 01/20/2007, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by justinpsmith
Well, Im not sure what they are eating as I do not have fish in the tank and barely feed anything to the corals...most of the corals I have in this tank do not eat. They came with the LR that was from a 8 year old tank that was taken down, so they were big when I got them. They are not fat like a pencil but really, really long! So, are there fish that will eat them?

Yup, six line wrases.

JustinReef · 01/20/2007, 11:53 AM

Oh yeah, that was already said. Thanks!

01/19/2007, 10:53 PM	#1
JustinReef Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 3,715	Too many Fire/Bristle worms! Can too many of them cause problems in a reef? I have noticed that they are getting quite big and long!

01/19/2007, 10:58 PM	#2
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	No, they are fine. Won't hurt a thing. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

01/20/2007, 12:10 AM	#5
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Arrow crabs might eat some corals, and they sometimes eat fish. Crabs often are predatory and not that picky about what they eat. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

01/20/2007, 12:11 AM	#6
JR719 Tang Cop Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: OK Posts: 2,240	I leave the small ones alone. Once they get about as fat as a pencil, they are removed. Great part of a cleanup crew. __________________ Can't sleep, clowns will eat me. America is the most grandiose experiment the world has seen, but, I am afraid, it is not going to be a success. Sigmund Freud Current Tank Info: 300 reef, Aqua controller, Deltec calcium reactor, Reeflo 250 skimmer, Icecap bla bla bla

01/20/2007, 01:55 AM	#7
ricanboy57 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: UCF. Orlando Posts: 404	A lot of the time, the worms are cuased by excess feeding or just having too much of what they eat in the tank. Cut back on their food supply and you should see a smaller number (and maybe pick out the big ones) __________________ I was the classic newb. I went out and bought the smallest tank and a fish at the same time. Now I'm kicking myself wondering how could I have been so stupid. But I'm hooked now.

01/19/2007, 11:01 PM	#3
webbstock Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Washington DC area Posts: 436	In general, they are considerd to be fine to have in your tank as small worms. Larger worms have been reported to damage some coral and anenomes etc. If you need to reduce your worm load, I would try some predators first. I believe that arrow crabs, coral-banded shrimp and six-line wrasses all enjoy a bristle worm dinner. I'm sure ther are many other critters that do too, but those just came to mind.

01/19/2007, 11:08 PM	#4
JustinReef Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 3,715	Don't Arrow crabs also eat corals sometimes though?

01/20/2007, 07:59 AM	#8
greenbean36191 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Ft. Lauderdale Posts: 10,598	Why do people recommend picking out the big ones? Fireworm diets don't change as they age. A big one eats the same thing as a little one, only more of it. __________________ Some say the sun rises in the East. Some say it rises in the West. The truth must be somewhere in the middle. Current Tank Info: tore them down to move and haven't had the time or money to set them back up

01/20/2007, 11:05 AM	#9
JustinReef Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 3,715	Well, Im not sure what they are eating as I do not have fish in the tank and barely feed anything to the corals...most of the corals I have in this tank do not eat. They came with the LR that was from a 8 year old tank that was taken down, so they were big when I got them. They are not fat like a pencil but really, really long! So, are there fish that will eat them?

01/20/2007, 11:53 AM	#11
JustinReef Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 3,715	Oh yeah, that was already said. Thanks!