Bristle worms from live rock...Good or Bad?

Weehawken64 · Apr 16, 2013

Awesome guys, thanks so much! So if indeed they are bristle worms, it looks like I have nothing to worry about.

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Salty-Noob · Apr 16, 2013

So madness, your saying eventually event there's nothing hey can feast on they will die out?

Liquid360 · Apr 16, 2013

I said it one and I'll say it again...
After much scientific research and study I came to concise and educated opinion concerning bristle worms in the home reef micro-environment. They are icky.

Salty-Noob · Apr 16, 2013

I think their gross too.. Doing what I can to get rid of them

Liquid360 · Apr 16, 2013

I tried every "easy" solution I could find. In the end I took each rock out one by one and ran fresh water through all holes. It took an hour+ but out fell two that were as big around as my thumb! After I finished with the chills they were massacred and their body parts displayed on frag plugs as warnings to any other worms who might feel like showing themselves!

Salty-Noob said:
I think their gross too.. Doing what I can to get rid of them

that novice guy · Apr 16, 2013

Liquid360 said:
I tried every "easy" solution I could find. In the end I took each rock out one by one and ran fresh water through all holes. It took an hour+ but out fell two that were as big around as my thumb! After I finished with the chills they were massacred and their body parts displayed on frag plugs as warnings to any other worms who might feel like showing themselves!

Thats too funny ive never thought of that!

kacrocorals581 · Apr 16, 2013

I don't care if there good or bad. The people who say there good haven't ever had a hand full of bristles that crap hurts! !!

Liquid360 · Apr 16, 2013

Any scavenger when faced with a loss of food supply will turn into a predator.

Salty-Noob said:
So madness, your saying eventually event there's nothing hey can feast on they will die out?

Weehawken64 · Apr 16, 2013

SO many opinions on this. I just know I have a new tank, I'm new to this, n I have a bunch of them in my tank.

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Salty-Noob · Apr 16, 2013

Liquid360 said:
I tried every "easy" solution I could find. In the end I took each rock out one by one and ran fresh water through all holes. It took an hour+ but out fell two that were as big around as my thumb! After I finished with the chills they were massacred and their body parts displayed on frag plugs as warnings to any other worms who might feel like showing themselves!

Good idea ill do that as soon as I can

Salty-Noob · Apr 16, 2013

But it's called live rock for a reason wouldn't freshwater kinda hurt it in some way?

returnofsid · Apr 16, 2013

kacrocorals581 said:
I don't care if there good or bad. The people who say there good haven't ever had a hand full of bristles that crap hurts! !!

I'm probably the biggest proponent of bristle worms, believing that they're probably the most beneficial life forms in our tanks. As careful as I try to be, I've spent many hours plucking bristles out of my hands and fingers. YES, it does hurt!

NanaReefer · Apr 16, 2013

Salty-Noob said:
But it's called live rock for a reason wouldn't freshwater kinda hurt it in some way?

Your exactly right, FW will destroy any beneficial bacteria within the rock along with most everything else in/on it.
There are several natural predators of bristle worms. Arrow Crabs being #1. Several fishes are known to dine on them also.
Regardless of how I feel about bristle worms it has been my experience that, without them my tank would Not be as free of algae as it is and has been for 2yrs. BW's can get into places that no other member of our CUC can. Any uneaten foods and dead things will be disposed of properly. Oh and BW's also excavate our rock. By creating their own tunnels.

bct15 · Apr 16, 2013

Bristle worms are beneficial, you want them in your tank. You will just reminded they are there every once and a while when you go to grab something and feel the sting of thousands of tiny little barbs stuck in your finger and hand. It isn't that bad, just uncomfortable and kind of itchy. I would not try an eradicate them, and I definitely would not run my live rock under fresh water. If you hate them, get a yellow or hoevens wrasse.

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