Bristle worms

Nathan Wu · Oct 18, 2018

Hi! Recently when I was watching my tank, I saw a HUGE Bristol worm. It was massive. This is my first tank so I was really surprised. I’m hoping that that’s the only one in there. I know that bristle worms can even be beneficial to my tank but I’m really freaked out about them. If possible, I would want it out of my tank. Is there anybody that can tell me how to do it?

Fudsey · Oct 18, 2018

Google bottle trap for bristle worms.

How big is HUGE?

Florida Sunshine · Oct 18, 2018

Directions for a simple and effective bristle worm trap.
Take a piece of very fine mesh or piece of a woman's stocking and put a small piece of fish food, shrimp, anything tasty and put it inside a small ball of filter floss or cotton and put that inside the mesh. Put this in your tank and wait overnight. The bristle worm should go after the bait but the bristles will get stuck in the mesh so when you look in the tank in the morning you should have your worm.
It may take a couple of tries but I have had good success with this method.

Fudsey · Oct 18, 2018

Florida Sunshine said:
Directions for a simple and effective bristle worm trap.
Take a piece of very fine mesh or piece of a woman's stocking and put a small piece of fish food, shrimp, anything tasty and put it inside a small ball of filter floss or cotton and put that inside the mesh. Put this in your tank and wait overnight. The bristle worm should go after the bait but the bristles will get stuck in the mesh so when you look in the tank in the morning you should have your worm.
It may take a couple of tries but I have had good success with this method.

That's a good idea, I'll have to try that

HawaiianReef · Oct 18, 2018

You're not going to get rid of them. If your tank is even just a year old.. You have more than the one in there. They are great for nutrient control. Possibly the best for reef tanks as far as that is concerned. But they need to be controlled. You need a predator. Some crabs and shrimp eat them. A lot of fish will eat the small ones, and a few different wrasse have a sweet tooth for them in any size.
Be careful, if you have an outbreak, and I mean "outbreak" like thousands of those huge adults that they don't even have room in the sandbed, they can kill livestock. I have a 75g that I let them run rampant in. They took out all my snails and even killed my adult yellow tang (I never would've thought it possible). Keeping them in check isn't hard. Just research natural predators and they'll do all the work for you. And any worms that are there, will eat up all the detritus and uneaten food.
BTW: I Hate Them...

cracker · Oct 18, 2018

good idea Sunshine !

Florida Sunshine · Oct 18, 2018

Thanks but I can't take credit. I forget where I read about it, but it worked well for me at the time so I always mention it.

lagatbezan · Oct 18, 2018

Make sure you don't touch them with your fingers! It will hurt like $*@# Trust me!!
Wear gloves whenever you are working in your tank or sump.

Nathan Wu · Oct 18, 2018

Fudsey said:
Google bottle trap for bristle worms.

How big is HUGE?

Probably at least a few inches. I’m guessing around 3-5. I didn’t see the whole body. I just say it’s head and half of it’s vody come out and it was thick. Maybe a few cm thick.

Nathan Wu · Oct 18, 2018

Thanks for all the ideas!! I think I might try to fish the big one out with the floss method and get a wrasse to control the ones that still might be in there. I hope that’s the only one but if not, extra food for the wrasse!!

TangingOut · Oct 18, 2018

Nathan Wu said:
Probably at least a few inches. I’m guessing around 3-5. I didn’t see the whole body. I just say it’s head and half of it’s vody come out and it was thick. Maybe a few cm thick.

Do you realize how big a cm is? Maybe you meant mm?