Poll: Bristle worms - Good or Bad?

[revhtree Verified Admin]

They are highly beneficial to your system. Their numbers will self regulate depending on food availability.

Not debating you at all because I believe they can be beneficial but HOW beneficial are they really? That would make a good discussion alone!

 

[Shon]

We had them. I am tempted to add a few wild ones, but I have come across at least a dozen different looking individuals, some live in oysters, some among the muck of shells, inside sponges, inside tube worm tunnels, inside wood(green, with white stripe worm), etc.

I don't know which ones ate them or what, but the move last December, not a single one to be found. (Also missing brittle stars and astrea stars) To this day, I still don't see any.

My suspect list:
Giant Tiger Shrimp; Penaeus monodon
Skillet Fish; Gobiesox strumosus
Frill-Fin Goby; Bathygobius soporator

 

[lagatbezan]

I dont mind them and have lots in my DT. Just wear gloves whenever you work in your tank or sump!!! their sting hurts like hell! I had one just graze me in my sump and I was in agony for days.
if anyone is in Long Island and wants some, let me know. Usually get a batch in my filters every week that go down the drain lol.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Not debating you at all because I believe they can be beneficial but HOW beneficial are they really? That would make a good discussion alone!

They are pretty good at scavenging for uneaten food and clearing up dead animals.

 

[Hogan]

I HATE bristleworms!!! I'm tired of my fish getting stung by them, I'm tired of me getting stung by them, and I'm tired of there uncontrollable ability to show up everywhere! I'd put every last one of them in a bath of vinegar and take pleasure in watching them squirm in pain and anguish.
Love and Peace

 

[Mark Gray]

In My last build I don't have any, in my new build I won't have any ether but I think I will break down and buy some as soon as my new tank arrives and I get it set up

 

[tankstudy]

I tend to think of it like this:

Bristleworm = Earthworm

 

[mtfish]

I think people get confused with the many types of polychaetes that can live in your aquarium. All of them can be good for your cleanup crew. Fireworms are the ones that people do not like in the genera Hermodice and Eurythoe. I guess I am lucky as I do not have either in my tank (Although I have a very large Eunicid worm!). I cannot imagine a tank without polychaetes as part of the CUC and as food for some of my fish.

 

[dutch27]

Burn them all. Personally when I'm stung I have very bad and painful reactions that last for 3-5 days. Nearly went to the Dr a few times because my finger tips turned purple and started to pulsate identical to having a tight string wrapped around it, due to the severity of the swelling.

 

[Tom Blevins]

The one benefit of having outdoor or rough hands they don't penetrate the skin;) now on the other hand my wife hates them!

 

[XNavyDiver]

They hang out by the dozens in my cheato. I've never had any problem with them.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

I used to love seeing New creepy crawlers pop out of nowhere in my aquarium. now I just want stability to enjoy coral growth and happy fish. The least amount of bio load provides me with the most amount of free time to enjoy my reef

 

[TvanB1]

I intentionally put a bunch of bristleworms in my tank when I set it up.
I have been stung more times than I can count at the LFS that I work at. A quick vinegar soak gets rid if all the bristles.

 

[Potatohead]

I'm going to go with..... No. Like, Nooooooooo.

 

[Monkeytank]

One time I grabbed a handful of chaeto to remove it from the sump and there was a big bristle worm in it. That's when I decided any benefit was not worth the hundreds of little cactus spine like stickers it embedded in my hand. It took quite a while to pull them all out and it didn't feel good at all. They also come out and steal food when I drop pellets for my acans(micromussa whatever). Not worth it to me. I might get an arrow crab just to get rid of them.

 

[NY_Caveman]

They are beneficial. Seems like the only problems are:

(1) if you get stung (but that is likely your fault for carelessness or no gloves)

(2) if they grow too large or overpopulate (which is true of anything in your system, bristle worms, Xenia, GSP, etc.).

 

[Amps Reef Life]

I try and keep them out of my tank. If some slip by then no big deal. Why? they are ugly... and can overpopulate.

 

[flowerqueen]

I have a 150 reef/fish tank ....I feed my fish well lol!!!! I have lots of bristleworms with no coral damage!!! My Lt. Tang loves them!! If I have my hand/arm in my tank he actually waits like a dog waiting for me to throw a ball to move a rock on bottom he then dives in and devours the bristle worms!!! They’re a “Tang treat” lol

 

[Mackjr1969]

The oppuntinistis some are good many are bad!

 

[Mackjr1969]

Yea they get out of control and I hate getting stung when I prune my chateo