death to the bristleworm

seans tank · 01/08/2008, 02:45 PM

man i hate bristle worms it seems no matter how hard i try i can never kill those pests. i have a coral bandit shrimp ,and it dosent really help. does anyone have any suggestions?

alten78 · 01/08/2008, 02:52 PM

keep them, good part of the cleanup crew

jcpatella · 01/08/2008, 03:25 PM

I hate the way they look, but they are a good part of the cleanup crew. Plus, they're free!!! If you really want to get rid of them, there are "bristleworm traps" that the LFS (local fish store) might have. It's a pencil-thin tube that allows them to crawl in, but not out. I doubt it would work that well, though.

julianp · 01/08/2008, 03:29 PM

They're just harmless detrivores. One of the best cleanup crew members a tank can have in my opinion because of their ability to clean in-between the hard-to-reach areas of the rockwork.

I have a 10 gallon set up right now with the specific goal of breeding them and a few smaller snail species.

bertoni · 01/08/2008, 03:33 PM

If there are lots of bristleworms in sight, there's probably lots of food for them. Cutting back on feeding might be appropriate.

dileggi · 01/08/2008, 04:14 PM

Some of the pseudochromis...dottyback's will eat them. I have an indigo dotty in mine. I must admit though, I still see bristleworms and I've never seen the dotty eating one!

uscharalph · 01/08/2008, 04:30 PM

They are good for your tank. The big ones creep me out though.

Salamander · 01/08/2008, 06:16 PM

Send 'em to me. I can always use more.

Deb91 · 01/08/2008, 08:49 PM

I saw an online sight last night selling them as the "best part" of their cleanup crew package.

reefworm · 01/08/2008, 08:58 PM

I'm sure you get the picture by now - the worms are your friends. I agree with salamander - I could use some if you're so inclined

When I was starting out I went through the same hassle of trying to catch them, blaming them for damaging corals. Not so. They eliminate dead and dying tissue - detecting it long before we do - and then get blamed by association. People pay good money for the less than attractive but needed critters

kzickovich · 01/09/2008, 07:34 AM

I had way to much once a rock that I bought was packed with them I got one of my wifes ntlons layed it in the tank and put some rock ruble on it. They slither onto the nylon and can't get of.

drillsar · 01/09/2008, 08:00 AM

One of the reasons to where gloves when you handle the rocks. I agree if you dont want them send some to me.

gummi · 01/09/2008, 09:15 AM

Arrow Crab will eat them.

01/08/2008, 02:45 PM	#1
seans tank Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: santa maria Posts: 20	death to the bristleworm man i hate bristle worms it seems no matter how hard i try i can never kill those pests. i have a coral bandit shrimp ,and it dosent really help. does anyone have any suggestions?

01/08/2008, 02:52 PM	#2
alten78 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Sheffield Lake, OH Posts: 1,231	keep them, good part of the cleanup crew __________________ When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Then find a person where life gave them vodka and have a party. ~ Ron White Current Tank Info: 120g SPS dominated

01/08/2008, 03:25 PM	#3
jcpatella Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: New Orleans, LA Posts: 814	I hate the way they look, but they are a good part of the cleanup crew. Plus, they're free!!! If you really want to get rid of them, there are "bristleworm traps" that the LFS (local fish store) might have. It's a pencil-thin tube that allows them to crawl in, but not out. I doubt it would work that well, though. __________________ Dogs - Man's best friend; entropy's greatest catalyst. Current Tank Info: Biocube 8 on the way!

01/08/2008, 03:33 PM	#5
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	If there are lots of bristleworms in sight, there's probably lots of food for them. Cutting back on feeding might be appropriate. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

01/08/2008, 04:14 PM	#6
dileggi Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: S. Philly PA Posts: 1,171	Some of the pseudochromis...dottyback's will eat them. I have an indigo dotty in mine. I must admit though, I still see bristleworms and I've never seen the dotty eating one! __________________ Eric "The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled, was convincing the world he didn't exist." - Usual Suspects Current Tank Info: 90g w/30g sump; skimmer; 2x175w MH & 2x super white actinic...3g w/.5g fuge 1x150w MH Viper

01/08/2008, 03:29 PM	#4
julianp Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Oakland, CA Posts: 190	They're just harmless detrivores. One of the best cleanup crew members a tank can have in my opinion because of their ability to clean in-between the hard-to-reach areas of the rockwork. I have a 10 gallon set up right now with the specific goal of breeding them and a few smaller snail species.

01/08/2008, 04:30 PM	#7
uscharalph Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 1,248	They are good for your tank. The big ones creep me out though. __________________ Ralph Mendoza Jr. Long Beach, CA Current Tank Info: 80 Gallon Reef Tank

01/08/2008, 06:16 PM	#8
Salamander Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Flagstaff, Arizona Posts: 2,103	Send 'em to me. I can always use more. __________________ 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

01/08/2008, 08:49 PM	#9
Deb91 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Scituate,Ma. Posts: 577	I saw an online sight last night selling them as the "best part" of their cleanup crew package. __________________ Deb Current Tank Info: None running now.

01/08/2008, 08:58 PM	#10
reefworm Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Waxhaw, NC USA Posts: 2,139	I'm sure you get the picture by now - the worms are your friends. I agree with salamander - I could use some if you're so inclined When I was starting out I went through the same hassle of trying to catch them, blaming them for damaging corals. Not so. They eliminate dead and dying tissue - detecting it long before we do - and then get blamed by association. People pay good money for the less than attractive but needed critters __________________ "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

01/09/2008, 07:34 AM	#11
kzickovich Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Zion Il Posts: 959	I had way to much once a rock that I bought was packed with them I got one of my wifes ntlons layed it in the tank and put some rock ruble on it. They slither onto the nylon and can't get of. __________________ Ken Current Tank Info: 90 Gal mixed reef 55 Gallon basement pump up Sump 25 Gal fuge 2 Mp40 DIY led light fixture Bubble King Mini 200 Gen2 skimmer BRS Duel reactor

01/09/2008, 08:00 AM	#12
drillsar Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: West Orange, NJ Posts: 2,838	One of the reasons to where gloves when you handle the rocks. I agree if you dont want them send some to me.

01/09/2008, 09:15 AM	#13
gummi Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Brampton, ON Posts: 282	Arrow Crab will eat them.