What to do with a fireworm and other bristleworm infested tank.

Trill · Nov 2, 2021

So I know the saying nothing good happens quickly in a reef aquarium.
In my hurry to setup a 32 biocube I got some live rock from my LFS. Well come to find out that rock is full of fire worms and other bristle worm. I have a few fish and some frags in the tank already (2 months in). The other night my wife asked what is that red and white stripped worm sticking out of the rock. Then the next day I notices another type of bristle worm as well. I have put a single arrow crab into the tank but it does not really like the area where the worms are. So the question is now is what do i do. Should I set up and cycle a few small tanks for the fish and frags or just hope the crab does the work and removes all the worms. If multiple small tanks the will all have dry rock and new water so it will be weeks before they are ready.

tjohnson3 · Nov 2, 2021

Trill said:
So I know the saying nothing good happens quickly in a reef aquarium.
In my hurry to setup a 32 biocube I got some live rock from my LFS. Well come to find out that rock is full of fire worms and other bristle worm. I have a few fish and some frags in the tank already (2 months in). The other night my wife asked what is that red and white stripped worm sticking out of the rock. Then the next day I notices another type of bristle worm as well. I have put a single arrow crab into the tank but it does not really like the area where the worms are. So the question is now is what do i do. Should I set up and cycle a few small tanks for the fish and frags or just hope the crab does the work and removes all the worms. If multiple small tanks the will all have dry rock and new water so it will be weeks before they are ready.

Arrow crab… not the cutest, but it’ll do the job

Tired · Nov 2, 2021

You should post some pictures. More than likely you don't have fireworms, just regular harmless bristleworms.

Also, fireworms eat corals, not fish. The fish are fine. If you get a frag rack and stick it on the wall, away from the rocks and corners, any potential pest worms shouldn't be able to climb up to them. Just keep the glass clean.

Trill · Nov 2, 2021

Tired said:
You should post some pictures. More than likely you don't have fireworms, just regular harmless bristleworms.

Also, fireworms eat corals, not fish. The fish are fine. If you get a frag rack and stick it on the wall, away from the rocks and corners, any potential pest worms shouldn't be able to climb up to them. Just keep the glass clean.

I will ge some pictures today.

dvgyfresh · Nov 2, 2021

Horseshoe crab and arrow crab until worms die lol

Trill · Nov 2, 2021

Trill · Nov 2, 2021

Tired said:
You should post some pictures. More than likely you don't have fireworms, just regular harmless bristleworms.

Also, fireworms eat corals, not fish. The fish are fine. If you get a frag rack and stick it on the wall, away from the rocks and corners, any potential pest worms shouldn't be able to climb up to them. Just keep the glass clean.

dvgyfresh · Nov 2, 2021

Those look like brittle star legs

Tired · Nov 2, 2021

Horseshoe crabs get huge and are entirely unsuitable for the vast majority of reef tanks. They shouldn't be collected from the wild and sold, period. I'm also not sure whether they eat bristleworms in the first place? They're a sand scavenger.

Great news, OP, that's not a fireworm! That's a brittle star leg. Beneficial detritivores, great to have. How long are they?

Regular bristleworms (which you probably have) are also useful detritivores. Not a concern at all.

Brit’s Fish · Nov 2, 2021

It’s hard to tell but I kind of agree that they look like brittle star legs. If you wait until after lights out and look at your tank with a flashlight, youve got a good chance of finding out what it is for sure. I’d leave the bristle worms unless there are a million. Don’t let them get too big before you pull them out though… we caught a monster yesterday.
you can make a trap with a medicine bottle, poke some holes in it, put some rubble or bio rings & food in it. The worms will crawl in there at night to get the food. Just be ready to pull it out and wear gloves! You can also use a long tweezers to pick them out as you see them. That’s what I do more often and I have to say it’s pretty satisfying!

dvgyfresh · Nov 2, 2021

Tired said:
Horseshoe crabs get huge and are entirely unsuitable for the vast majority of reef tanks. They shouldn't be collected from the wild and sold, period. I'm also not sure whether they eat bristleworms in the first place? They're a sand scavenger.

Great news, OP, that's not a fireworm! That's a brittle star leg. Beneficial detritivores, great to have. How long are they?

Regular bristleworms (which you probably have) are also useful detritivores. Not a concern at all.

As soon as I find a horseshoe crab I’m getting it , I’ve heard they love to eat bristle worms , will trade to lfs once job is done

Tired · Nov 2, 2021

Horseshoe crabs do eat worms, but they eat worms in the sandbed, and bristleworms live in the rocks. Plus, buying them at all encourages the trade for them. Basically nobody has a tank big enough for these guys (considering they get at least 18" long), so nobody should be selling them, and nobody should be buying them and encouraging their sale. Giving it to your LFS doesn't mean it's going to go to a suitable home, not when it's something that gets that large.

Bristleworms are beneficial scavengers that don't need to be removed. You shouldn't be putting bare hands on your rockwork, which means they shouldn't have any opportunities to sting you. They aren't dangerous to anything except dying flesh. If you really, really hate the look of them, traps can remove them. But you should just leave them alone unless you have a phobia or something. They're good guys.

Tbg299 · Nov 2, 2021

Coral banded shrimp does a great job eating bristleworms.

Auquanut · Nov 2, 2021

I have to agree that everything I've seen look like micro brittle star legs. Micro brittle stars are great members of your CUC, and absolutely no threat to the tank. If you find you're getting an invasion of brisleworms, you should probably reduce feeding. Bristleworms are detrivores, and are actually good for the tank. Though they can be unsightly.