Massive bristleworm

[ChicagoReefer]

Ok, I have been keeping saltwater aquaria for some time now, but this is a first. I keep a 3 gallon pico reef in my kitchen, and I just got up to get some water. When I turned the light on, I swear I thought I was hallucinating. There was what looked like a bristleworm that was sticking out of a rock at least 8 inches, and there was still more in the rock! I believe it had to be close to 12 inches or more. Has anyone dealt with this before? How do I get rid of it? It is twice the size of the BW traps I have seen. Suggestions please!

 

[Sniperhank]

Besides traps, can you remove the rock? Taking the rock out and tossing it in straight RO/DI water will force the unwanted pests to come flying out of the rock since it can't breathe.

 

[dogfish2806]

I had a bristle worm problem And it sounds like the same thing happened. I didn't realize until the worms were very large. I tried traps I tried pulling them out with tweezer. if you have too many in your tank like I did, I had to take my rock out and dip it in boiled water for a minute. This worked best

 

[JesusG]

Hey when boiling the rock did you have to re-cycle your tank or was it fine afterwards?
Because I have many at night that come out but I can't get them.
How exactly did you do it if its not too much trouble to ask?

 

[ChicagoReefer]

I will probably wind up pulling the rock and giving it a fw dip. I have a nice size hammer attached to it though, so I will have to find a way to get it off. I'm pretty sure the dip or boiling will annihilate the bacteria on the rock, so it will have to be seeded again. Thanks.

 

[Nole_87]

I had a problem with bristle worms and just cut back my feeding and they disappeared. There's a big one that I see occasionally but they are harmless to any living fish or coral.

 

[Ivanomar]

I have bw to there not bad to have they eat the extra food left over and shift sand also for the real small ones get a banded shrimp hell take care of them and for the big ones that look like monsters lol wait for them to come out with some food where they rest and try to grab them you probably won't be able to remove them unless you remove the whole rock and kill that as well but try to cut the worm as much as u can it will live but will be smaller and will grow back but at least you slowed its growth cause they grow fast.......and use gloves cause there hairs are nasty if touched

 

[betta4me]

I recently acquired a 12 gallon nano that was already up and running and it is infested with bristle worms. I don't mind them but I feel there are just too many for my liking. The panty hose trick did not work as they didn't get stuck on there. I picked up a netted bath poof and cut the string holding it together and cut a piece of the net off. I put a piece of cooked shrimp inside and tie both ends, drop in tank at night weighted by a piece of rock and in the morning remove it. This catches about 15 or 20 each time. Not a cure all but it is dwindling the population. Might help you catch the one you saw and maybe some you don't see.