Bristle worms good/bad

[Keysman]

Hi are bristle worms good or bad got some live rock with a few In it should I remove them?

 

[uscamaro]

I'd get rid of them. Some people keep them because they help clean the tank, but they can get large and intrusive, not to mention annoying since their sting isn't comfortable.

 

[Maya]

They are good. They eat the nasties in your tank like dead snails. If you have a lot of them, you're probably overfeeding. Be careful with them though. The bristles will sting

 

[Jason7894561230]

As i now know, the brsitle really hurt if you touch them (or in my case grab them really hard.) So if you are going to get rid of them use some plastic gloves or something

 

[Keysman]

Yeah thats the thing I hear mixed reports about them some say they are good some say they are bad.
Good because they eat the waste but I've heard they can also eat your fish , can sting and get rather large so should I remove them or not I think they look evil

 

[Maya]

Its really your preference. I have them in my tank. They keep it clean and I rarely ever see them. IMO They aren't going to harm a perfectly healthy fish but if it dies, gone. That's okay for me, I don't want dead fish in my tank. If they bother you, get rid of them.

 

[Keysman]

I've heard of them attacking a heathy clown fish before

 

[Maya]

I've heard of killer eucinid worms but my bristles don't bother anything living in my tank. I have seen them try to pull an entire turbo snail carcass into their holes to eat but it had been dead for about a day. I have a fairly big one living in some live rock in my sump and he coexists with several snails, some starfish, and other inverts.

 

[iDream]

If you want them but don't want a ton, cut down on feeding. I have no problem with them.


Also never heard of any bristle going after a healthy fish before

 

[Keysman]

Here you go bristle worms will eat anything if they get big enough check this out
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/general-reef-aquarium-discussion/45173-giant-worm-eats-tang.html

 

[iDream]

Look at post #5 in that thread:

"The worm in that article isn't a bristle worm. It's a Eucinid worm (still a polychaete, family Eucinidae). Known to be large and predatory."

 

[Maya]

Somehow I knew someone would copy that thread here. If you read it you'll find that
1. That worm was found to be over 4 ft long. (if any of my worms grow that large, I assure you, I will remove it on nasty ick factor alone) and
2. Barry, the name of the worm featured there, is a eucinid worm, not a common bristle worm. Nasty nasty dude who now has his very own display tank.

 

[Keysman]

Well I shall remove mine bristle worm can get large and their still can't be good for any fish and they look evil

 

[Keysman]

Their sting that is

 

[Keysman]

And I also have a eucinid worm too
He shall be delt with just the same

 

[mr_X]

common bristleworms are good for your tank. they do not eat live fish. as stated earlier, if you have some that are large (by large i mean large earthworm large...they don't get bigger than that) you are definitely overfeeding. you and your tank are better off removing their food source.

 

[Keysman]

Listen mr x I got the live rock 7 days ago ( got 8 kgs for 20 dollars) and they came with it so I'm not over feeding and IMO they look ugly and they sting so I've gotten rid of them Ty

 

[joy13]

Maybe saltwater tanks aren't for you if bristle worms bother you that much. You will see all kinds of sea boogers on your live rock that will probably be worse than the bristle worms. I still haven't figure out what one worm was I thought it was an eucinid worm after researching it I know it isn't I just figure it is some big worm that someday I will get to see again. At least I know if it is dead my bristle worms will clean it up for me.

 

[leftyfish]

Have you seen a bristle worm's mouth? I have on my glass and it resembles that of a snails. I have a two inch wheeler's goby and the bristle worms go around him while it is feeding time, they don't eat him or hurt him, so I'm pretty sure any other fish are fine. I was extremely freaked out when I first noticed them and couldn't even sleep that night. Now I get excited when I see them because I know they are eating up extra stuff in the tank. My new tank did not have any so I added my rock that has them in it from my old tank. More CUC the better for me.

 

[Keysman]

Bristle worms are ugly after this thread I've made my mine up thanks everyone the are bad