Another reason to irradicate bristle worms

[kennedpa]

Unsure if these are French in origin endulging on some escargot , but I as one who loves their CUC does not appreciate it. His friends are just standing idly by as though they're waiting their turn.

 

[KJ]

Look like Eurythoe complanata.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

You'd rather the snail just die and rot? The snail was dying and that's what called the worms to the dinner table.

 

[Pife]

You'd rather the snail just die and rot? The snail was dying and that's what called the worms to the dinner table.

Agreed. They don't go attack stuff.

 

[kennedpa]

Look like Eurythoe complanata.

Common name?

You'd rather the snail just die and rot? The snail was dying and that's what called the worms to the dinner table.

Here's the dead snail, there before I left, and gone now. First picture before I left for work with the foot on the tile, second from front mounted tank cam remotely.

I would not like it to rot away, I stayed with it to determine if it was still alive or not after removing the worm. Was going to see if it made progress the next morning. Clearly it did. I should've marked it with a marker.

So are we sure they don't go after live organisms still? I think there's also people who have had them eat euphyllia (our LFS has this problem also), and I'm sure we can't dismiss the guy who posted deconstructing his reef due to missing colonies.

 

[kennedpa]

I think it's in front of the cam now.

 

[Bbaz123456]

Pretty sure they were cuddling.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

They honestly don't hunt and kill stuff. They know when something is dying and they will begin to eat before it is dead, so people often mistake them as being the actual cause of death. Yours is honestly just a common bristle worm. I don't know about the guy who had to dismantle his tank... but it wasn't because of a bristleworm. The fireworm Hermodice carunculata DOES eat corals and hunts, but yours is definitely not that type.

 

[rstrann]

Bristleworms...the scapegoat for so many dead and dying tank inhabitants. Just because there's always vultures around a dead/dying carcass on the Serengeti, doesn't mean the ugly birds did it! Same logic applies to bristles.

 

[kennedpa]

Fair replies....we shall see. What will we conclude if the snail remains alive for the next week? Not saying you're wrong, I just found this interesting.

 

[Bbaz123456]

Fair replies....we shall see. What will we conclude if the snail remains alive for the next week?

Nothing really. Most likely there is nothing wrong with the snail and the bristleworm wasn't trying to eat it. Could've just as easily been a frag plug laying there that it was curled up under. At least that's what I'd bet on

 

[kennedpa]

Nothing really. Most likely there is nothing wrong with the snail and the bristleworm wasn't trying to eat it. Could've just as easily been a frag plug laying there that it was curled up under. At least that's what I'd bet on

It was on the tank bottom which is glass only. Frag tanks with raised platform the plugs sit on.

See previously posted picture.

 

[Salty1962]

While I don't like having to wear gloves every time I pick up something in the tank, I'm grateful to have my worms so my tank won't blow up after a snail or fish dies. They always die in the area where you can't reach them Never had one go after live livestock.

 

[kennedpa]

While I don't like having to wear gloves every time I pick up something in the tank, I'm grateful to have my worms so my tank won't blow up after a snail or fish dies. They always die in the area where you can't reach them Never had one go after live livestock.

Good point! I have decided that I will never not be able to get to something like that again. Our first reef was all rock up against the back wall like a ramp and what a nightmare.

Personally, I think they're creepy, they hurt, and I keep a couple crabs to clean up. I don't need no stinkin' worms.

 

[DAPG8GT]

Good point! I have decided that I will never not be able to get to something like that again. Our first reef was all rock up against the back wall like a ramp and what a nightmare.

Personally, I think they're creepy, they hurt, and I keep a couple crabs to clean up. I don't need no stinkin' worms.

Trying to control nature because you don't like it doesn't sound very fair to me personally. That's the way things in this world have became extinct.. Just sayin.. Bristle worms are great for your tank and are needed IMO .. If they get to plague like populations there are natural predators you can add that will keep them in check but to say you don't need them because you don't understand them or like them is probably the most mis informed comment I've heard all day so far..

Not attacking you I've just read this same blame game for years now.. Some Reefers will be adamant that it's the worms fault when it's really their lack of knowledge and husbandry being the reason livestock is dying..

 

[Bbaz123456]

Wow some people love their worms!! Personally I think they are excellent cleaners and harmless to your tank inhabitants. But I won't get angry at you if you want to eradicate them from your tank. Your tank is your space to manipulate nature. And that is 100% what everybody's tank is, their own version of manipulated reef

 

[Bbaz123456]

I don't like clownfish so I don't put them in my reefs.

 

[Dom]

Gotta jump in here... I agree... bristle worms don't attack.

I found one in my tank, it had to be the thickness of a pencil. I grabbed him with a tweezers as I wanted him out (one ugly ****).

But I find that they facilitate cleanup by the behavior you describe. They also borrow through the substrate (as do snails) which is important as they churn the substrate.

 

[GHsaltie]

I helped someone break down his tank the other day. He had 5 large bristle worms that had been hiding in the overflow for who knows how long. I tweezered them out, into a jar, and then I totally put them in my tank. I'm weirdly excited as I haven't seen any bristleworms in my tank as of yet.

 

[kennedpa]

Trying to control nature because you don't like it doesn't sound very fair to me personally. That's the way things in this world have became extinct.. Just sayin.. Bristle worms are great for your tank and are needed IMO .. If they get to plague like populations there are natural predators you can add that will keep them in check but to say you don't need them because you don't understand them or like them is probably the most mis informed comment I've heard all day so far..

Not attacking you I've just read this same blame game for years now.. Some Reefers will be adamant that it's the worms fault when it's really their lack of knowledge and husbandry being the reason livestock is dying..

Perhaps the title was strong. Although I thought it was clear it was related to reefing. I've never had a vendetta against them, I simply thought this was an interesting observation and at the time, YES, I wanted them all gone.

I think the photos speak for themselves. That snail is still fine. So maybe that specific worm had some strange mutation causing violent mania.;Vamp;Dead

Please exercise caution when calling people mis-informed, especially when you do not know the individual, nor what they are doing in their reefing life.

The overall theme on here has been very encouraging (obviously kidding). I regret even sharing the observation.