Bristle worms! Help!!!

[Mike628]

What can I use to get rid of bristle worms? Please list some fish or something, but also please list if that fish will hurt crabs, snails, urchins? Which are all part of my clean up crew.

 

[reefndude]

I don't think bristle worms are bad imo.

 

[Mike628]

I just want them gone. I dont want to be jabbed

 

[redfishbluefish]

I've gotten rid of all my bristle worms by having a tank crash. Now I also lost all fish, except for three, and most of my corals.

Now if I had a choice, I'd prefer the bristle worms over the tank crash. They are part of your CUC.

If you want to reduce your bristle worm population, bait a piece of stocking....yes, i mean a stocking a women wears...and put that in you tank...especially at night. Preferably make something to hold the stocking opening open. The bristle worm will enter to eat and get caught in the stocking with their bristles. FYI, a "human" shrimp works well for bait.

 

[Mike628]

Like a shrimp a person eats?

 

[redfishbluefish]

Like a shrimp a person eats?

Yes, that is what I meant by "human" shrimp. But silversides or any other fishy bait would work. Bristle worms aren't picky.

 

[human]

I just want them gone. I dont want to be jabbed

They're a great addition to your clean up crew,getting into crevices most crabs and snails can't. In my personal experience banded coral shrimp and arrow crabs will eat them, my sunset dottyback also ate them from time to time and never bothered my clean up crew.

 

[chefjpaul]

They are truly beneficial to the tanks ecosystem.

Now, if you have so many that you are seeing them out cruising around during the day, you may have a nutrient problem.
Over feeding the tank their population will increase.

Vise versa as if you are feeding appropriately the population will keep itself in check and hardly be noticeable. Late night they come out to eat leftovers

 

[Mike628]

If I use a six line wrasse will it hurt my snails, crabs, and urchin?

 

[NanaReefer]

Wear gloves problem solved. A Sixline Wrasse will keep them in check as well.

 

[Mike628]

Will the six line wrasse hurt my snails, crabs, and urchin?

 

[lukshannon]

Six line wrasse is reef safe, but can be a bully to other wrasses :)

 

[Mike628]

What about my crabs, snails, urchins?

 

[lukshannon]

Six line shouldn't be a problem

 

[Mike628]

Thank you

 

[lukshannon]

My pleasure!

 

[jasonandsarah]

Dottybacks (mine was a neon dottyback) eat bristle worms, also I believe arrow crabs do as well.

 

[Bones]

I would strongly advise against removing all of them but if you insist, arrow crabs will get it done. The added bonus is you get to watch them get manhandled by the crab. First they hunt them down (regardless of the size of the worm) drag them out of where there hiding, and then carry them around all day eating them bit by bit. Sheer entertainment!! You can thank me later...lol

 

[Shep]

Six line wrasse is reef safe, but can be a bully to other wrasses :)

And to most other fish too, once in a tank they CAN(but not always) become little terrorists.

 

[Oldsalt01]

My lawnmower blennie would munch on them too. You should be wearing gloves (non-powdered vinyl gloves) if you have zoas or palys in your tank anyway to avoid palytoxin poisoning. However, BW's are a very beneficial part of the clean-up crew, even if they are ugly. As long as you are not overfeeding they will keep their own population in check. If they are that much of a bother, I've had good luck with a bristleworm trap that you can buy at any LFS. Open it, put a bait in (I've even used flake food), close and drop it into the tank at night. Next morning you'll find worms in it.