bristle worms

[RedipsNam]

I'm so annoyed now cause of I have bristle worms from my macro algae, like grape caulerpa and chaeto, my chaeto was mine but grape caulerpa that I took to someone it has a bristle worms and I want to rid of them like how? I have a three tanks with same water together running and one sump so I don't want them to spread everywhere, so the best thing to do is remove all of my macro algae?

 

[hoodsta]

I feel for you fellow reefer, last September I gutted my whole 210 gallon system because of a bristle worm infestation that came from my lax habit of introducing local frags from people without dipping. I tried the traps but many worms were too big for the holes plusnthey were everywhere in my substrate rocks and corals. if your situation is just in the sump consider yourself lucky and get rid of all the stuff down there and start over its a easy fix

 

[peterhos]

Never liked the look of bristle worms, but they seemed to keep the tank cleaner. Numbers dropped off when I added a tang and a coral beauty. Not sure who, but someone was eating them…

 

[RedipsNam]

Never liked the look of bristle worms, but they seemed to keep the tank cleaner. Numbers dropped off when I added a tang and a coral beauty. Not sure who, but someone was eating them…

but I'm wondering I only have 2 of 10 gallon tank and 20 gallon long tank so what if they grow longer lol and can kill my pairs of clownfish

 

[TinyReefObsession]

but I'm wondering I only have 2 of 10 gallon tank and 20 gallon long tank so what if they grow longer lol and can kill my pairs of clownfish

Your average bristle worm only eats detritus- so your fish etc are safe. i think it’s the bearded fireworms & bobbit worms (from what i’ve read, are far less common in reef tanks) that keep us all up at night >.< ick

 

[RedipsNam]

Your average bristle worm only eats detritus- so your fish etc are safe. i think it’s the bearded fireworms & bobbit worms (from what i’ve read, are far less common in reef tanks) that keep us all up at night >.< ick

Here’s a photo sir, so this is before it goes to my 10 gallon tank not from sump, so was planning to make my 10 gallon tank as a macro tank with pair of clownfish, if they grow larger I would like to remove them if they stay small like these from photo I will let them go

 

[Fishy888]

Bristle worms can get fairly long; but unless your fish or inverts are dead or dying bristle worms won’t eat your fish. They wouldn’t be able to catch them even if they tried. Now Bobbit worms will catch and eat fish but they have specialized mouth parts that enable them to do so. They’re as thick as a pencil (like all eunicid worms). You’ll know it’s not a normal bristle worm if you see one.

Bristle worms are hard working members of the CUC. I’m curing some fairly old rock right now. When I have phosphates down far enough I’m going to introduce them to the new rock along with other life.

If you have a wrasse or two they’ll gladly eat the babies. That way the worms can be kept in check. Arrow crabs eat adults too but they’re not exactly small fish safe or invert safe.

 

[RedipsNam]

I feel for you fellow reefer, last September I gutted my whole 210 gallon system because of a bristle worm infestation that came from my lax habit of introducing local frags from people without dipping. I tried the traps but many worms were too big for the holes plusnthey were everywhere in my substrate rocks and corals. if your situation is just in the sump consider yourself lucky and get rid of all the stuff down there and start over its a easy fix

how big are they now? my situation was in my 10 gallon tank, I have 3 tanks with one sump system and made my 10 gallon tank as my macro algae place with one pair of clownfish lol it's okay to see them but I hate when they grow and spread to my other 2 tanks

 

[RedipsNam]

Ultimately, the best course of action will depend on the severity of the infestation and your personal preferences. Removing all of your macroalgae may help to eliminate the bristle worms, but it may also impact the health of your tank.

it's all good for me if they stay smaller as they said they are good cuc but if they grow larger man I swear I'm gonna freak out, and my macro algae has a bristleworm is in my 10 gallon tank with pair of clownfish lol I'm just worried

 

[Fishy888]

it's all good for me if they stay smaller as they said they are good cuc but if they grow larger man I swear I'm gonna freak out, and my macro algae has a bristleworm is in my 10 gallon tank with pair of clownfish lol I'm just worried

As long as you don’t overfeed the worms won’t grow super long and won’t proliferate super fast. If you overfeed, that’s when they take over the world.

 

[RedipsNam]

As long as you don’t overfeed the worms won’t grow super long and won’t proliferate super fast. If you overfeed, that’s when they take over the world.

And I’m feeding clownfish twice a day to help them to breed lol but I have hawkfish from main tank I can transfer this guy to my 10 gallon