Bristle worms as food? What do you think?

[Levinson]

Could I use bristle worms as food for my shrimps? Will it be good food for them?

I have many bristle worms in my shrimp tank and they are a great clean up crew (the only minor issue is their number's growing too high and started to compete with the shrimps for food). The shrimps and bristle worms certainly don't bother or eat each other, that is, only if they are ALIVE.
So, I've just had this thought the other day. What if they are dead? Wouldn't they just be.... fresh meat? The shrimps and bristle worms are both cleaners of the tank and they eat dead creatures.
What if I catch some bristle worms from the tank (there are plenty), KILL them (with a hammer or something), then use it as shrimp food?
I've searched to find any info on nutrition profile/facts on the bristle worms but couldn't find any (as suspected).

What do you think of the idea? Has anyone done this before? Am I being too cruel to the worms? Are worms going to be nutritious enough?

 

[KeepSwimming12]

Could I use bristle worms as food for my shrimps? Will it be good food for them?

I have many bristle worms in my shrimp tank and they are a great clean up crew (the only minor issue is their number's growing too high and started to compete with the shrimps for food). The shrimps and bristle worms certainly don't bother or eat each other, that is, only if they are ALIVE.
So, I've just had this thought the other day. What if they are dead? Wouldn't they just be.... fresh meat? The shrimps and bristle worms are both cleaners of the tank and they eat dead creatures.
What if I catch some bristle worms from the tank (there are plenty), KILL them (with a hammer or something), then use it as shrimp food?
I've searched to find any info on nutrition profile/facts on the bristle worms but couldn't find any (as suspected).

What do you think of the idea? Has anyone done this before? Am I being too cruel to the worms? Are worms going to be nutritious enough?

I would personally say no. If they grow too much, they may become aggressive so it’s definitely a good idea to control them but I’d say stick with a good quality prepared/frozen food. Just in terms of nutritional value and potential problems to do with bacteria and parasitic infection, I personally wouldn’t risk it.

 

[PR_nano]

I seen my peppermint shrimp rip pieces off bristle worms and eat them on multiple occasions.

 

[alxrosco]

If you decide to kill them, instead of a hammer, just put them in fresh water, they will die instantly. I am not sure about feeding the shrimp, I wouldn’t want bristles all over the tank and end up in my hands.

 

[IanK]

When I find them I toss them in my maxi mini anemone….

 

[Levinson]

When I find them I toss them in my maxi mini anemone….

Do the anemones eat live bristle worms? Do you know if the bubble tips also eat them live when given to them?

 

[Fish Think Pink]

@Levinson ... you just seem to love those bristle worms, so I've just got to post this

WARNING - this will gross you out..

 

[Levinson]

@Levinson ... you just seem to love those bristle worms, so I've just got to post this

WARNING - this will gross you out..

Lol yeah I've seen it before.

 

[AlgaeBarn]

Could I use bristle worms as food for my shrimps? Will it be good food for them?

I have many bristle worms in my shrimp tank and they are a great clean up crew (the only minor issue is their number's growing too high and started to compete with the shrimps for food). The shrimps and bristle worms certainly don't bother or eat each other, that is, only if they are ALIVE.
So, I've just had this thought the other day. What if they are dead? Wouldn't they just be.... fresh meat? The shrimps and bristle worms are both cleaners of the tank and they eat dead creatures.
What if I catch some bristle worms from the tank (there are plenty), KILL them (with a hammer or something), then use it as shrimp food?
I've searched to find any info on nutrition profile/facts on the bristle worms but couldn't find any (as suspected).

What do you think of the idea? Has anyone done this before? Am I being too cruel to the worms? Are worms going to be nutritious enough?

What kind of shrimp?

 

[homer1475]

Start at the root of the problem......

Bristle worms like many of our CUC self regulate their population based on available food. Cut back on your feeding, and your bristle worm population will decline.

 

[Levinson]

What kind of shrimp?

Sexy shrimps.

Start at the root of the problem......

Bristle worms like many of our CUC self regulate their population based on available food. Cut back on your feeding, and your bristle worm population will decline.

I'm not trying to reduce the number of bristle worms (at least not anymore) nor see them as a problem. The question was if I could use them as a food source for my shrimps (by killing them) and if so, if it would be worth it.
It is often said in this hobby that fresh food is better than frozen or dry (while live food is the best). So I thought a maybe I could make use of the bristle worms since I have plenty.

 

[TheVinylReef]

No. nothing eats them and even the crabs and coral banded shrimps advertised as eating them DO NOT always eat them

 

[ReefFrenzy]

We've been adding farm raised polychaete worms to our Fish Frenzy® blend for over five years and fish absolutely chow down on them. The brand we use is actually a primary food source for the aquaculture of shrimp. They have been around for 18 years and have a proven track record. You can learn more about them and read the various test results on their site which I linked below. The juvenile polychaetes we use do not have stiff bristles that would get in your fingers or bother your fish.

This link may provide you some useful information on the nutritional benefits: https://www.serviceaqua.com/page1/page1.html

This is a video we produced when we added them to our blends in 2016.

Best of luck!

 

[Levinson]

We've been adding farm raised polychaete worms to our Fish Frenzy® blend for over five years and fish absolutely chow down on them. The brand we use is actually a primary food source for the aquaculture of shrimp. They have been around for 18 years and have a proven track record. You can learn more about them and read the various test results on their site which I linked below. The juvenile polychaetes we use do not have stiff bristles that would get in your fingers or bother your fish.

This link may provide you some useful information on the nutritional benefits: https://www.serviceaqua.com/page1/page1.html

This is a video we produced when we added them to our blends in 2016.

Best of luck!

Thank you for the great info!

 

[Levinson]

I gave the idea a try for the first time today, just to see what happens.
I caught 5~6 small to medium sized bristle worms from the tank with a long turkey baster, dipped the live worms in tap water (thx to @alxrosco for the idea). It killed them quickly, if not instantly. I've put the dead bristle worms back into the tank to see what happens.
Some of my sexy shrimps started eating the dead worms right away.
Dunno how good it is for the shrimps or how much they like it as food though.

 

[Levinson]

Update:
Now I feed the bristle worms to the shrimps from time to time, when I feel like it. Maybe like once every 2 weeks or so.
It's interesting how the shrimps don't bother with the live worms but they notice a dead/dying worm immediately when they see one and go after it.

 

[Mical]

Six Line wrasse will devour bristle worms

 

[FurrierTransform]

When I find them I toss them in my maxi mini anemone….

I remember tossing a large bristle worm into my long tentacled anemone and it got spat out a day later, worm was dead though.