To Bristle Or Not To Bristle

[Murraydar]

Well, there's my motivation to always have gloves on hand. (I <3 puns)

I had planned on avoiding these guys at all cost, but hearing the good reviews about their CUC support and the fact you cant keep them out makes me think I won't even bother trying to dodge em. Maybe more contact will make it so they don't freak me out so much. ;Dead

They're not all that scary. They almost always hide when you put your hands near them. I've been pricked once in five years when I reached under a rock to grab it and mushed my finger into one of them. Kind of felt like getting a sliver. Duct tape pulled the bristles right out.

 

[sfin52]

Duct tape pulled the bristles right out.

that's handy info

 

[Greybeard]

Maybe more contact will make it so they don't freak me out so much. ;Dead

I'd advise against 'contact', if you can avoid it Every work with fiberglass? Yeah, it's like that, only worse.

As far as the heebee geebees, unless you go looking for them, you're unlikely to ever see them. Especially if you've got a predator fish or two. They're good at hiding.

 

[RocketBunny]

Hey Folks , I know this question has been asked a zillion times but I am new and need advice .
My tank is a Bio Cube 16 with 16.8 lbs of live rock. I have many corals of various types , Paly`s , LPS Candy Cane, Softy Discosoma Mushroom, LPS Polyp WYSIWYG. One Emerald Crab, One Goby Firetail (small) , One Clown Fish (small) , One Peppermint Shrimp , Three Mexican Turbo Snails(small) , One Hermit Crab (small) . The tank is in its third week and doing very well with all the numbers, salinity Ect.
So a week ago I bought a coral and found a Bristle Worm on it so I did not add it to the tank. I have been feeding it and its doing well isolated in a bowl . My question is should I add it to the tank or do I have enough of a Clean up Crew ?
I ask because I have been reading the forums and its very mixed with whether to keep this guy or keep it OUT of my tank ? Currently I have no hitchhikers , well none that are large and noticeable.
Again please excuse this thread if it is an annoying repeat but with so many views and being new I do not know what I should do.
Thank you for any and all opinions and or advice

Add it... just make sure that it is of a grey,brown variety... If it is red or striped/colorful, don't because that is a fireworm and it WILL kill all your corals.

Bristle worms are detritovores and will eat all the 'poop' that is left by fish, keeping your sand bed and rocks crystal clean.

Try to get a pic of it... so we make sure that it isn't a bobbit worm.

 

[Dancingmad]

I'd advise against 'contact', if you can avoid it Every work with fiberglass? Yeah, it's like that, only worse.

Reminds me of handling the pink cotton candy that's inside our walls without gloves. Thankfully I'm not too allergic - itches for a while until the bristles come out (or the previously mentioned duct tape method. Though around here we call it duck tape!).

fireworm

Fireworms are rare. After like 2 years lurking in the hitchhiker threads I have yet to actually "see" one posted up. Right you are though - bad news critter.

bobbit worm

If I got lucky enough to get any variety of bobbit hitchhiker I would set her up a tank and we would be BFFs. The fish eaters have got some gnarly teeth.

 

[Stonekeg]

Try to get a pic of it... so we make sure that it isn't a bobbit worm.

I think I have been confusing these since I was ignorant to the fact they're different. I'm pretty sure the Bobbit is what terrifies me for some strange reason and is the same thing I saw as a kid that I mentioned in another thread. The Bristle is just sorta gross. I can handle sorta gross, and especially so for a cleaner tank.

 

[Michael Naegeli]

I love my Bristle worms. Keep my Zoa colonies all clean and Perdy. Got a poop load of bristles and they r good workers

 

[RocketBunny]

I think I have been confusing these since I was ignorant to the fact they're different. I'm pretty sure the Bobbit is what terrifies me for some strange reason and is the same thing I saw as a kid that I mentioned in another thread. The Bristle is just sorta gross. I can handle sorta gross, and especially so for a cleaner tank.

Bristle worms are generally small 1-4 inches and have small mouths... Bobbit worms are, king kongs, compared to the little bristle worms and they have BIG JAWS to kill and rip meat apart... they grow up to a meter long...............................................................................................................

 

[zoso]

I believe that this one is the safe subspecies ? Just looking at these pictures it appears I missed another hitchhiker on the plug , not sure what it is ?

 

[RocketBunny]

I believe that this one is the safe subspecies ? Just looking at these pictures it appears I missed another hitchhiker on the plug , not sure what it is ?

ummm... im not sure... it has some orangish color... looks ok... I think you could add it. You might want to do this test, grab a small piece of frozen shrimp or any other meaty foods and drop it in... see how quick it will get to it... If it will take time to notice it and start munching, it is ok... that means that it won't want any meaty foods (aka corals, fish, inverts, etc)

the other little hitch hiker looks like a crab...

 

[RocketBunny]

I believe that this one is the safe subspecies ? Just looking at these pictures it appears I missed another hitchhiker on the plug , not sure what it is ?

Alright I did more research. That one is safe, drop it in!!! hooray for a new clean up crew member!

 

[zoso]

This may better show the worm

 

[RocketBunny]

This may better show the worm

Its good. toss 'im in

 

[kruley]

Add it. They can clean areas the rest of your CUC can't reach. Mine usually hide during the day so I don't see them much. They are beneficial hitchhikers.

 

[Patientman]

That is "the" bristle worm that you saw/caught ... I'd bet you already have them hiding somewhere in the tank. I started with 'dry rock' and they still appeared in about three months ... before adding frags of any sort. As long as I don't see them during the daytime I figure the population is low enough that they are happy/satisfied doing their hunting at night.

 

[Holy_makerel]

Got nailed by a bristle worm today for the first time. I just got my hand wet and put some super glue on it, let it dry and peeled it right off. No problem.

 

[PhreeByrd]

I believe that this one is the safe subspecies ? Just looking at these pictures it appears I missed another hitchhiker on the plug , not sure what it is ?

That is a common bristleworm. No problem, and very beneficial. The other little critter is an amphipod, also very beneficial. The frag must have come from a healthy tank.

 

[Captain Quint]

Looks like I'm in the minority. Y'all can have all the bristle worms out there. haha.

I cannot stand them. One turns into hundreds.

I kid you not I had a 14g BioCube I kept a Green Clown-Goby in along with a couple of shrimp. When I took the tank down I found a bristle worm at least a foot long hidden behind the false wall.

I'll pluck them out of the tank any chance I get.

 

[B-ridge]

Does anyone know where you can buy bristleworms? Or any of you guys willing to catch and sell and ship me some?

 

[klp]

Bristle worms for the win - they help get all the nooks and crannies your other CUC can't get to.

I had a macro tank for a while that basically had just worms and ceriths.

Behold, and tremble in fear - it is Gigantor, king of the bristle worms!

That is exactly why I don't have them. They are beneficial but not an absolute necessity. They gross me out when I see them. Being grossed out the reason why I got into the hobby. If you want them fine. I do not.