Help getting rid of britle worms!!!!

[Snoopybdb]

My tank is over run with these things. I'm trying to find something that will help me get rid of them by eating them. I've been told wrasse fish, hawk fish, arrow crabs, coral banded shrimp. HELP PLEASE!!! Any suggestions to the best "eater" or way to get rid of these would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[zacdl]

I think wrasses eat them.

 

[SeriousDude5]

6 line wrasse.

 

[Tangaloo]

There's no fish or crustacean that i've heard of that just absolutely loves to eat them but most fish (such as wrasses) that like to eat your crustaceans liek to snack on them. How big is the tank and what kind of setup, fish etc are in it?

 

[tiredfish]

they sell traps for bristle worms...but i dunno if it works..could be a gimmick

 

[steve-s]

Stop feeding so much. Bristleworm breading is in direct relationship to the nutrient within the system. Their population can easily be controled through the amounts you feed.

FWIW, they are harmless detrivors. There really is no good reason to get rid of them.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Snoopybdb]

well other than the fact that they are ugly. I have watched them burrow into some of my corals, which i'm sure isn't good for the coral. Today my boyfriend and i created our own trap. will try tonight to see if it works. If not we are only out about $6

 

[Michellej]

I had a bristleworm problem and I bought a trap and it worked, it took a couple of nights but I caught them.

 

[steve-s]

I have watched them burrow into some of my corals, which i'm sure isn't good for the coral.

You actually watched them burrow into the flesh of the coral or the rock base beneath them? If the worms are inhabiting the coral, then something would most likely be wrong with the coral itself. Bristleworms are attracted by rotting flesh/necrosis. An otherwise healthy coral would have no appeal to them. A parasitic worm would be a different story.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Snoopybdb]

the coral i foudn it in is a leather coral. i found it in the "stem" of the coral. I don't think anything was wrong with the coral. It was open all the time except for the couple of times it shed since i bought it.

 

[NewInTown]

I only remove the very large ones. I use a plastic baster to remove them. turn the lights off and wait for them to come out. then just suck them up as needed.

 

[steve-s]

You shouod be looking to ID that worm then and most likely removing it. A common bristleworm will not occupy the flesh of a healthy coral, typically it will be parasitic. Does the coral slough fairly often?

Cheers
Steve

 

[Snoopybdb]

i've had the coral about 3 mths and it's shed probably 3 times.

 

[steve-s]

Shouldn't shed that often really. Once every few months is somewhat common but something is definately irritating it.

Can you post a pic of the area you saw the worm coming from? Can you describe the color pattern of the worm?

Cheers
Steve