Bristle Worms

[Jinx]

The 29 gal modified BioCube aquarium that I inherited already came with its own family of bristle worms. It was an established tank and had been sadly neglected and plagued with purple slime. Now I have been told multiple times that these bristle worms are good helpers for the sand. I've lost 3 turbo nails, 2 skunk shrimp, and 3 peppermint shrimp. I have seen the bristle worms ease up to the snails or shrimp and I'm guessing give a sting by the reaction of the victim. Sometimes it's more than one worm ganging up on a lil critter. The worms keep easing up when the opportunity comes available and like with this last shrimp it would kick at him and the worms would duck away before coming at him again. Perhaps my bristle worm population out numbers the food resources in the sand? Any suggestions/advice?

 

[Jinx]

Can someone offer at least another direction for me to get help on this topic?

 

[furrymurray]

They have bristle worm trap but I have never used them. One way I have got bristle worms out is when the lights are dim put a piece of silver side etc inside the tank where u can reach it. Sit back and wait with a pair of tweezer. When they come out snatch them up

 

[Jinx]

So they very well can be a nuisance and not so much the sand saints made out to be?

 

[furrymurray]

They can be. A few are ok but if they are killing live stock then there is an issue.

 

[Jinx]

Now what is the bait you use? I'm not a pro at this yet.

 

[furrymurray]

Silver sides. It is frozen fish used to feed fish and anemones etc. you can also shrimp from the grocery store. Raw shrimp might be better just because the worms would recognize the scent easier.

 

[Jinx]

Oh ok cool. Thanks bunches you're great

 

[furrymurray]

No problem. Good luck

 

[jeffaquarius]

Are you sure they are Bristle worms? There worms that do kill snails and other critters.

 

[Jinx]

You can see 2 in this pic one on top right of the rock and the other bottom central area.

 

[jeffaquarius]

Yes they look like Bristle worm to me. Since these worms are nocturnal, any clue why they come out even when light is on? Seems to me they are so hungry. Don't you think you are starving your critters to death? Worms will eat any dead meat in tank.

 

[Beengirl]

Bristle worms are fine, they just help keep the tank clean. As long as you don't have lots of them, there shouldn't be a problem. If you have a lot, then there's too much food available.

 

[Holygral]

agree they are harmless, when the excess food supply is gone they will die off and thin out

 

[Jinx]

Or perhaps there was too much food available when I inherited the tank 6 weeks ago and since then I've been trying to stabilize it. Some of these bristle worms are 3" long. They do come out with lights on as well as off so no one told this bunch that they are nocturnal. I just know that I can't keep a snail alive and I wonder if this is also why my anemone is up by my blower now too.

 

[Bray84]

I was thinking this when all my crabs died within a few days of each other and done some research and found out that there sting wont kill fish/cuc and they lick there food so no chance of them eating something. Must be something else killing ur cuc as I got few worms in my tank and apart from the crabs dying ain't had no problem

 

[Cjsanders757]

Possibly smaller fireworms instead?

 

[jeffaquarius]

Like what i mentioned before you might have another kind of worms killing your cuc and bristle worm are having happy hours with left overs.

 

[Jinx]

Ok so if its not the bristle worms what are some others that I should be on the look out for. I have come a long ways to save the critters in this tank and I'm not far from tearing it down to inspect with a magnify glass and tweezers. Is that being too determined? Anyways I really want this to be the Piece of Peace I named it.

 

[Jinx]

Possibly smaller fireworms instead?

Ok fireworms and bristleworms look exactly alike and I'm guessing one in the same.