Bristle worm?

[Cole2h2]

Good or bad? New to reef scene idk if these are worth keeping in, tank has been running a week

 

[WheatToast]

Looks like one. They are good scavengers (but try not to touch them).

 

[Gtinnel]

They are a beneficial part of the CUC in my opinion but there are other that dislike them. You can remove it but there are likely many many more than that one.

 

[kittenbritches]

I'm not a fan. In my previous tank life we had a severe fireworm infestation — those suckers were over a foot long — and they murdered my arrow crab in the night.

We had a homemade trap rigged up every night and I basically had to wrestle them out of the tank every night by myself.

I don't care how helpful other bristleworms might be! I don't want to have anything to do with them. ;Punch

 

[Gtinnel]

I'm not a fan. In my previous tank life we had a severe fireworm infestation — those suckers were over a foot long — and they murdered my arrow crab in the night.

We had a homemade trap rigged up every night and I basically had to wrestle them out of the tank every night by myself.

I don't care how helpful other bristleworms might be! I don't want to have anything to do with them. ;Punch

That's not a fair reason to dislike bristleworms. They're drastically different than fireworms.

 

[kittenbritches]

That's not a fair reason to dislike bristleworms. They're drastically different than fireworms.

Life isn't fair, and I don't owe bristleworms any allegiance. ;Facepalm

 

[WheatToast]

Life isn't fair, and I don't owe bristleworms any allegiance. ;Facepalm

You could always try the “safe” bristle worms they sell online (ex. eBay and IPSF).

 

[kittenbritches]

You could always try the “safe” bristle worms they sell online (ex. eBay and IPSF).

Maybe I'll change my mind someday. Haha.

 

[Gtinnel]

You could always try the “safe” bristle worms they sell online (ex. eBay and IPSF).

It's always amazed me that anyone would buy them. Unless you're very meticulous about quarantining everything most people end up with them anyway. Plus the worms that almost everyone have are the "safe" ones. Fireworms are fairly uncommon.

 

[Gtinnel]

Maybe I'll change my mind someday. Haha.

I doubt it, with bristleworms it seems like it's usually a love /hate thing. Most people feel strongly one way or the other about them.

 

[mermaid_life]

Maybe TMI but I equate "catching bristle worms with my tweezers under rocks" to popping pimples, picking scabs, and popping bubble wrap..... The fatter they are, the more satisfying too....VERY SATISFYING!

 

[mermaid_life]

I suggest removing if you don't like them because they propagate prolifically in my experience. Even if you catch every one that you see, you know more exist in your tank. If don't catch the ones you can see, can you imagine how many you actually have!?!

 

[thewedge]

I suggest removing if you don't like them because they propagate prolifically in my experience. Even if you catch every one that you see, you know more exist in your tank. If don't catch the ones you can see, can you imagine how many you actually have!?!

Definitely this.
I added them a few times over the years as part of a cuc pack. Big mistake. My tank is teeming with them now. Always have to make sure I wear gloves if I put my hands on the tank or changing socks.

 

[MaxTremors]

I'm not a fan. In my previous tank life we had a severe fireworm infestation — those suckers were over a foot long — and they murdered my arrow crab in the night.

We had a homemade trap rigged up every night and I basically had to wrestle them out of the tank every night by myself.

I don't care how helpful other bristleworms might be! I don't want to have anything to do with them. ;Punch

I sincerely doubt that a fire worm killed your arrow crab. I have seen a medium size arrow crab absolutely demolish a foot and a half long bristle worm. Arrow crabs love to eat bristle worms. It likely died of something else or was killed by something else. If you said they were killing snails or clams, it would be plausible, but Polychaete worms make a large part of arrow crabs’ diet in the wild, that’s why their pinchers are so narrow, so they can pull worms out of holes/crevices.

Also, fire worms are incredibly rare, and they’re generally no longer than 6 inches (6 inches would be a big one), they don’t get big like orange/mollusk eating bristle worms, eunicid/bobbit worms, or even plain old detritus eating bristle worms. Little bristle worms like this are 100% harmless and are part of a healthy reef, there’s really no reason to take them out.

 

[WheatToast]

Also, fire worms are incredibly rare...

Then I must be super lucky...

This guy hitchhiked on my LFS live rock a month ago. I clumsily decided to poke it… a decision I will forever regret. It was eventually removed in 6 pieces (none managed to retreat). I have not seen any more Fireworms, so fingers crossed.

 

[mermaid_life]

I sincerely doubt that a fire worm killed your arrow crab. I have seen a medium size arrow crab absolutely demolish a foot and a half long bristle worm. Arrow crabs love to eat bristle worms. It likely died of something else or was killed by something else. If you said they were killing snails or clams, it would be plausible, but Polychaete worms make a large part of arrow crabs’ diet in the wild, that’s why their pinchers are so narrow, so they can pull worms out of holes/crevices.

Also, fire worms are incredibly rare, and they’re generally no longer than 6 inches (6 inches would be a big one), they don’t get big like orange/mollusk eating bristle worms, eunicid/bobbit worms, or even plain old detritus eating bristle worms. Little bristle worms like this are 100% harmless and are part of a healthy reef, there’s really no reason to take them out.

I don't disagree that bristle worms are probably a great part of the CUC. The way I think about it though is even though I know birds eat spiders and spiders catch bugs, I keep neither in my house and I go the extra mile to try to keep the spiders out. Bristleworms in the tank = Spiders in my house. Both no bueno.

 

[MaxTremors]

I don't disagree that bristle worms are probably a great part of the CUC. The way I think about it though is even though I know birds eat spiders and spiders catch bugs, I keep neither in my house and I go the extra mile to try to keep the spiders out. Bristleworms in the tank = Spiders in my house. Both no bueno.

I guess the way I think about it is I’m trying to have as balanced an ecosystem as possible, and having a variety of detritivores helps achieve that. I’m not a fan of dry rock and sterile, lifeless reef tanks, for me, all of the hitchhikers and microfauna are what make a reef tank a reef tank, otherwise it’s a fish tank or a coral display. Which is fine if that’s what you like, but to me, a reef is a complex and balanced ecosystem and a reef tank is as close an approximation of that ecosystem as is possible in a glass box.

 

[WheatToast]

I don't disagree that bristle worms are probably a great part of the CUC. The way I think about it though is even though I know birds eat spiders and spiders catch bugs, I keep neither in my house and I go the extra mile to try to keep the spiders out. Bristleworms in the tank = Spiders in my house. Both no bueno.

Wilbur shall not tolerate such despicable behavior ...

 

[MaxTremors]

Then I must be super lucky...

This guy hitchhiked on my LFS live rock a month ago. I clumsily decided to poke it… a decision I will forever regret. It was eventually removed in 6 pieces (none managed to retreat). I have not seen any more Fireworms, so fingers crossed.

They’re rare, but they turn up in live rock every now and then. Also, you shouldn’t be poking any Polychaete worms.

 

[mermaid_life]

They’re rare, but they turn up in live rock every now and then. Also, you shouldn’t be poking any Polychaete worms.

Why? What happens when you poke them? ;Nailbiting