Bristle worm infestation!

[mikestanked]

Hello all, its been a while since I have been in need of help from this fourm and I'm so glad I became a member. Nothing has helped me more in this hobby than AA, well nothing has helped me while I sit on the toilet as much as AA, if you know what I mean!

Anyways I've heard a lot of mixed reviews about bristle worms and in my opinion they are as ugly as a bullfrog to me, but I really didnt see much more wrong with them other than if I touch them I will regret it.
Good CUC and I believe the ones I have are the least dangerous out of them all.
But here inlies my concern, when I first spotted this hitchhiker in my 29g FOWLR I wanted it out because at the time I didn't know much about um but I heard that they multiply fast. I pulled like 2 out and I thought I was safe, and then I learned that they were ok to a certain extent. Let the one I couldn't easily get to remain, and some time went on.

Bringing me here today. My tank is aboslutley crawling with those guys now, some up to about 4-6" and a ton of baby 1" or less. Now its time to weigh my options. They are EVERYWHERE

What can happen if I let them remain? Are they dangerous to my live stock? At the moment I only have 1 azure damsel, 1 cleaner shrimp, 3 peppermint shrimp, emerald crab, and chocolate chip starfish, (with about 4 red legged hermits, and 2 blue legged hermits, and 3 or so Margarita snails )
Will anything eat them?
What can I do?

On another side note, I also have quite a few DIGITATE HYDROIDS! See pictures

And due to recent budget constraints (girlfriend now EX) I haven't been able to keep up my tank like I want. But now I don't care if she flies off the hinges if I spend my hard earned money on my tank.(sorry about that)

Please help!

 

[Hocky puck]

From what I know they are harmless but I have seen an explosion of them at a lfs and they were killing/eating the snails in the tank( they were swarming was quite interesting) anyway a coral banded shrimp would clean them up for u or maybe a sixline wrasse there more options if u care to research them

 

[obscurereef]

They look more like fireworms which are malevolent. Best to get them out with tongs. Don't touch them because they can release their spines or bristles into your skin and it's incredibly painful. Bristle worms are thinner, smaller and you can handle them. They are really beneficial to your system and a large amount of them would just be a bonus. Like I said though, they seem to be fireworms.

 

[mikestanked]

Thanks, yeah I'm kinda taking the lazy route by trying to get answers on here but I just want some real time answers and then I probably will do my own research.

I'm not positive but I think a coral banded and a cleaner shrimp will battle, which might be kinda cool but I'm not that mean. And not trying to waste money on a YouTube video, lol.

Thanks again

 

[Hocky puck]

Coral banded shrimp are touchy some people say they are very well tempered and won't kill your cleaner but some say they are very violent mine was cool he never tried to eat anyone I have seen your "YouTube" referance

 

[mikestanked]

They are flat and thin, very light red or pink in color, and they are very delicate. I use plan ol tweezers once and it divided like it did it as a defense mechanism. Or maybe I was to rough

 

[Crystal A]

I hope macdracor chimes in on this one. Bristol worms are a good thing to have in your tank. If you are having a population overload its most likely due to over feeding. They will multiply quickly in the right situations. What is your feeding schedule? Perhaps reducing how often and how much will slow down the population.
I'm not to sure what to do about the larger ones. I don't think they are a problem. I've been under the assumption that population control is the biggest concern. On the home page of the forum macdracor has written a great article in Bristols and fireworms. Check it out

 

[mikestanked]

Since I only have 1 fish I really only feed like a third of a small cube( PEMYSIS, and krill) every other day, and sometimes every 3 days if I forget. But on the days I don't feed frozen I put like a pinch of sinking pellets once a day. I've really cut back lately because I don't have any fish really and I thought I had an ammonia issue because like all of my fish died within weeks of each other. All except the darn damsel which I wanted gone but I couldn't catch him.

 

[Hocky puck]

You never will damsels are the curse from the ocean!!

 

[Hocky puck]

I think that's too much food for one damsel

 

[mikestanked]

Hahaha yeah that's a nice way of putting it.

Oops let me clarify I do not feed the mysis and krill at one time I mix it up every time. Although I have mixed them together in the past when I had more fish.
Do u think 1/3 of a cube is too much for the damsel? Or the 29g in a whole? Because my damsel eats like he is starving and my shrimps also go nuts like its crack. Maybe they're just spoiled because after a while they like follow me around the tank and chill at the spot where I always drop the food.
It may sound stupid but I feel sorry for them if they don't eat for a day. Answered my own question, it does sound stupid!

 

[Hocky puck]

How big is he?

 

[mikestanked]

Since he never stops moving I would say about 1 3/4" tops.

This is kinda off topic but u know of any fish that will pair well with the devil I mean damsel?

 

[Hocky puck]

Anything meaner then it trigger grouper angels

 

[Hocky puck]

Yea I think it's too much food though maybe ask someone else who knows more I feed that mich in my 90 gal and I have quite a bit of stock compared to one damsel

 

[mikestanked]

I really like the flame angel but my tank it probably too small. And I would really like to catch it and start from beginning kinda so I can really have what I want(what I should of do in the first place b4 I bought that damsel) the damsel is an awesome looking fish and if I had a larger tank I would get another one for the colors it has but my 29g is really limited

 

[mikestanked]

I sure your correct, maybe I'll feed it every 3 days, or try and go smaller portions

 

[Hocky puck]

Get a bucket and take the rocks out when he has nowhere to hide he's easy to catch

 

[mikestanked]

Ive done that twice with out a bucket and I use to have 3 caught 2 and got lazy I guess and left 1 in there and I had a lawnmower blenny and a maroon clown, a black clown goby and they all ended up dying within a couple of days to a couple weeks apart.
I also had a leopard wrasse around the same time but died in a matter of 36hours and the only thing that has survived was my damsel!
I really don't know what my issue was it could of been water quality issues or stress from me disturbing the rocks I really don't know

I guess I could because he's the only fish and none of my shrimp were dying so yeah I could. But I HATE doing it. My LR never goes back the way I want it and its hard to aqua scape without dry fitting them so I happy with the look.

But I guess I'm gonna have to if I want to get something that will not pair well like clowns and gobys

 

[Hocky puck]

Try some food that will float it has worked on triggers puffers lions but never got a damsel by tempting to the top with food