Bristle Worm Attacks!

[gear-head]

I thought one of my feather dusters had dropped it's feathers, so I went to get some tongs to remove the stuff. As I approached it, it moved backwards!

When I looked closer, I found that a bristle worm had pulled the entire feather duster, head and all, out of it's tube, and was pulling it back to a corner of the tank. I figured I'd let it go, I mean what else could I do?

When I went back an hour or so later, I pulled the feather duster remains out, and it looked like it had had it's insides sucked out! Yuk!

Is this normal, or are my bristle worms getting aggressive? Any other tank residents at risk?

 

[ntswift]

Are you sure its a bristle worm? Try to get a pic to get it positively I.D'd. I dont doubt it though because I just had one kill one of my clams!

 

[gear-head]

I didn't get a pic of the attack, but yes, I'm 100% sure it's a bristle worm. The bugger was about 2 inches long.

 

[ntswift]

I've heard once they get over an inch long they become meat eaters if there isnt enough algea for them to eat. However either way I'd remove the big ones that you see. Leave the little ones in there because they can be very beneficial to your system. Here's a little article for you. HTH

http://www.aquariumfish.com/aquariumfish/detail.aspx?aid=2762&cid=3791&search

 

[gear-head]

Time for some traps then!

 

[SeeDemTails]

My duster hasbeen doing so well, and then today, The crow is all shredded up...and there is a small hole where something appears to have ripped open the dusters tube.

I only have hermits, an arrow crab, and a few snails.

I have seen a 5 inch long bristle worm in my tank (huge for my 10 gal nano!)...I am pretty sure he is the culprit.

 

[angelscrx]

How long had your tank been up? Have you added any new rock lately? That happened to me and it turned out to be a Mantis Shrimp!

 

[SeeDemTails]

No new rock in months.....not a mantis...I have hermits, snails, and an arrow crab, as well as a small fish, a neon dotty back, and no one has been attacked other than the duster.

I am almost sure it was a bristle worm....it didnt finish off the duster, just tore it up pretty good.....It is still opening....but its crown is all checwed up, about half of it is gone...I dont think it hurt the work itself though.

I dont care how good they are as part of the cleanup crew, I am trapping them.

I feed my tank 12 brine shrimp 3 times a week, as I only have one fish. My trates never go about 2.5. Im not worried about detris.

 

[gear-head]

Still Trappin'

Bristle worms galore

Bait attracted my bristle star, hermits, and more bristle worms than I could count.

There's two in the trap and all these coming. I emptied the trap 4 times this evening. One was 8" long stretched out!

I have one feather duster left, hopefully this will thin the herd for a while and give the feather duster some more life.

 

[Gatorfreak]

Hmmm... so big bristle worms are bad? I've seen some in my sand (up against the glass) that appear to be pretty long. I've witnessed my Orange Spotted Goby yanking one out of the sand and eating it. That article (thanks ntswift) mentioned sleeper gobies as a predator. Add Orange Spotted Gobies to that list.

Gear-head, that pic is mildly disturbing. What size is your tank?

 

[gear-head]

It's a 55 gal. Mildly disturbing? I've been having nightmares!

 

[ntswift]

Yeah I take any out that I see now. I really dont want to loose another clam to some whacked out bristle worm on a rampage! Dont get me wrong, not all of them are bad. In fact most are really good for your tank for cleaning up and taking care of algea. I just dont want to deal with them anymore! Gear-head that is very disturbing to see that many in your tank! What kind of trap is that? Also, it looks like the one in the middle (2nd from the left) is a fireworm but I could be wrong.

 

[dianeww]

Sure looks like a fireworm to me! Very scary picture!

 

[SeeDemTails]

I have had a bristle worm attack my duster, but it survived and regrew its crown, it is doing well.

 

[gear-head]

The trap was bought online. Search for "Trap 'em" it works very well. Fireworm? I hate 'em all.

I will continue trapping until it comes up empty.

 

[ntswift]

Fireworm? I hate 'em all.

LOL....I agree!

 

[angelscrx]

Wow sweet pic but scary. I got rid of all of mine when I broke down my tank for my move.

 

[abnmojo]

Here is a trick you can use to get rid of them on LR you add to your system.

After/before you cure your LR ( I do it both times) mix a small bucket worth of salt water SUPER salty. I mean off the scale salty. max that puppy out on the hydometer.

Take the LR chunk, get your tweesers ready, and dunk the rock for a few seconds. pull it out, and any big worms will back half way out of the rock looking for 'good' water. just yank them out. I leave the tiny ones alone, but snag anything that is really big. I have never had it happen to me, but I have heard that mantis shrimp will bail out at this point as well, when they get a taste of that super salty water.

You will not always get all the worm out, which is why I do this before I cure and after I cure the rock. Sometimes you can't get all the worm out, and a chunk gets stuck in there and rots. .... not good for the main tank.

I have one hawk in my tank, he is my bristle worm control fish. Long nose and arc eye hawks seem to like the big ones.