Bristleworms: YEA or NEY

[Strawberry]

Hello!
I recently bought a Biocube second hand, and the live rock is pretty well infested with bristleworms. I’ve read that they’re pretty hard to get rid of and that they can actually be a great addition to a clean up crew. I was considering basically starting over with my liverock by doing a bleach bath, but I’m torn because I’ve had the tank running for a week already. Since I’ve only got one coral, is it worth cutting my losses early to try and get rid of the worms or should I make peace with the creepy critters?

 

[Eagle_Steve]

DIY bristle worm trap. Search google and you will find tons of easy to build ones. Some are as simple as a pill bottle and some straws.

 

[Strawberry]

DIY bristle worm trap. Search google and you will find tons of easy to build ones. Some are as simple as a pill bottle and some straws.

Thanks I’ll check that out

 

[BayouReefer]

They are good for the CUC but I hate finding them in my filter socks and I have not been stung but I hear it’s pretty bad. I wouldn’t say do a reset but probably not bad to keep them thinned out.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Interesting question. (And congratulations on your tank.) I wonder whether with a relatively small size tank like that (very attractive, however ;Joyful) the negatives might outweigh any positives-- not only in terms of how many you say you have, but also, what if some start to grow gigantic? Let's see what other people say

 

[Strawberry]

They are good for the CUC but I hate finding them in my filter socks and I have not been stung but I hear it’s pretty bad. I wouldn’t say do a reset but probably not bad to keep them thinned out.

The ones I’ve got are fairly small, but I saw a gigantic one at my LFS and it looked like a total nightmare

 

[Strawberry]

Interesting question. (And congratulations on your tank.) I wonder whether with a relatively small size tank like that (very attractive, however ;Joyful) the negatives might outweigh any positives-- not only in terms of how many you say you have, but also, what if some start to grow gigantic? Let's see what other people say

I am definitely going to try and trap them to keep their population in check, but I can’t really invest in a natural predator for 2 reasons. My tank is too small to support an arrow crab or banded shrimp for long, and also it’s still in process of cycling so I’m pretty opposed to doing a reset just to kill something that will probably find it’s way back into my tank eventually.

 

[OREGONIC]

I had an explosion of them a few months into my tank they were everywhere. My tank has been up for over 3 years now and I believe I have seen 1 or 2 in the last 2 years. I also had an explosion of brittle stars at one point and only see a few here and there nowadays. I believe everything balances in time.

 

[Strawberry]

I had an explosion of them a few months into my tank they were everywhere. My tank had been up for over 3 years now and I believe I have seen 1 or 2 in the last 2 years. I also had an explosion of brittle stars at one point and only see a few here and there nowadays. I believe everything balances in time.

I guess my main concern is getting some type that eats corals.

 

[C. Eymann]

Bristle worms are always welcome to my tank. Great detrivores with an undeserved bad rap.

Common bristleworms in our tanks dont really sting or hurt, they are just irritating, duct tape works wonders for pulling bristles out.

Fireworms are a different story, very rare to see in the hobby these days and they are predatory and definitely not reef safe, can't speak from experience but I hear they can actually be painful.

 

[Strawberry]

Bristle worms are always welcome to my tank. Great detrivores with an undeserved bad rap.

Common bristleworms in our tanks dont really sting or hurt, they are just irritating, duct tape works wonders for pulling bristles out.

Fireworms are very rare to see in the hobby and they are predatory and definitely not reef safe

I am pretty sure mine are just common bristleworms, but I was just unsure of what more experienced reefers thought of them.

 

[OREGONIC]

I guess my main concern is getting some type that eats corals.

Most likely they are just common bristle worms and a welcome member of a diverse CUC. I would just do some research on the type you have to be sure. You can always add a predator to them in the future if the population does not dwindle down to a reasonable level naturally.

 

[sarcophytonIndy]

I guess my main concern is getting some type that eats corals.

They are completely harmless. They only eat what already died.

 

[Reefermadness89]

No cause they are scary looking lol.

 

[Strawberry]

Thanks to everyone for your advice! I’ve decided to make a trap using frozen brine shrimp. I’ll let you know how it goes!

 

[Steelheader09]

I have them, don't se much issue. They do sting though and it hurts!

 

[Strawberry]

I have them, don't se much issue. They do sting though and it hurts!

Creepy! I know it’ll happen sooner or later but I absolutely dread it lol

 

[DJF]

I thought they’re like ich and everyone has them jk of course- I don’t mind them until I’m not minding them-

 

[Steelheader09]

Creepy! I know it’ll happen sooner or later but I absolutely dread it lol

I was moving something and got one in between my fingers! It stung for a bit, left a couple little blisters but it healed up quick. No worse than bites from my clarkii clowns, they draw blood

 

[Mike Porreca]

They are good for the CUC but I hate finding them in my filter socks and I have not been stung but I hear it’s pretty bad. I wouldn’t say do a reset but probably not bad to keep them thinned out.

I got stung three times in two days. Granted my hands are kinda rough. It didn’t really hurt, felt exactly like gettin fiberglass in your fingers.