How to eradicate bristleworms?

[Lps_lover12]

So I decided to look into my tank tonight once lights went out and it was horrific seeing all the bristleworms. The reason I did that is because I had to remove a dying plate coral and when I lifted it out there had to be 5-10 bristleworms under it and a few fat ones. They freak me out and I want them gone, I know everyone will say their good to have but I don’t want them. I know some people say flatworms exit kills them off, is this reef safe and does it actually work? I have two flame hawks who apperently eat them and I will be adding two halichoeres wrasses soon (red lined and radiant) which also apperently eat them. What other methods could I use to get rid of them? Reason I think there is so many is because my sandbed rarely gets vacuumed, I’m battling Dino’s and low nitrates and phosphates so I don’t do water changes much, their mostly on the sand and are mostly pretty small.

 

[blaxsun]

Arrowhead crabs find them a delicacy.

 

[Lps_lover12]

Arrowhead crabs find them a delicacy.

Isn’t it a possibility they will go after fish/corals once they run out of other food?

 

[blaxsun]

Isn’t it a possibility they will go after fish/corals once they run out of other food?

Assuming you run out of bristleworms... Not corals, but only really, really small fish would be at risk. They are bristleworm terminators though...

 

[bushdoc]

"If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"
It's only your perception and imagination, don't look into your tank at night and they will be gone.

 

[Lps_lover12]

Assuming you run out of bristleworms... Not corals, but only really, really small fish would be at risk. They are bristleworm terminators though...

Good to know, thanks!

 

[Derrick0580]

Dottybacks eat bristleworms

 

[Lps_lover12]

"If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"
It's only your perception and imagination, don't look into your tank at night and they will be gone.

That’s one way to put it! Lol

 

[Lps_lover12]

Dottybacks eat bristleworms

I’m worried about them being aggressive, especially with my royal gramma

 

[blaxsun]

Dottybacks eat bristleworms

MIne prefers to dig, lol.

 

[Spare time]

I've seen a coral banded shrimp eat them

 

[bakbay]

You’re probably over feeding your tank. Bristleworms are detritus, bottom feeders - without food, they will die. Yes, they look nasty and can sting if you happen grab rocks (them) with your bare hands! I used to have literally thousands of them and now can’t find one at night. You can catch them, find natural predators, ignore them (they are actually good for your reef), or feed less. Bottom line: there are other things to focus on and bristleworm eradication is probably low on that list. Good luck!

 

[Viking_Reefing]

Yeah, an excessive population of bristle worms men’s that you are over feeding the tank as there is enough left over for them to subsist on. Get your feeding in line and they will go away for the most part.

 

[ZoaGod]

So I decided to look into my tank tonight once lights went out and it was horrific seeing all the bristleworms. The reason I did that is because I had to remove a dying plate coral and when I lifted it out there had to be 5-10 bristleworms under it and a few fat ones. They freak me out and I want them gone, I know everyone will say their good to have but I don’t want them. I know some people say flatworms exit kills them off, is this reef safe and does it actually work? I have two flame hawks who apperently eat them and I will be adding two halichoeres wrasses soon (red lined and radiant) which also apperently eat them. What other methods could I use to get rid of them? Reason I think there is so many is because my sandbed rarely gets vacuumed, I’m battling Dino’s and low nitrates and phosphates so I don’t do water changes much, their mostly on the sand and are mostly pretty small.

I used flatworm exit last night and I can confirm in my bristle worm dominated tank hundreds if not thousands of them came out of the gravel and rocks withering like snakes with their heads chopped off. I proceeded to suck them all up without issue. Thought I will say you will never truly be rid of bristle worms that’s like trying to have a tank without copepods ect just won’t happen

 

[bnord]

I’m worried about them being aggressive, especially with my royal gramma

There’s a great article dottybacks in a recent coral magazine. Leads one to believe that there’s a lot of difference between different species of dottybacks. I have a captive bred Splendid that has been a perfect tank mate given plenty of territory to defend. The gramma and the black capped basslet are in that tank and the DB is clearly the least pugnacious. Whether they eat bristle worms, or not is another question, and I’m sure a different species will be different there as well.
have kept aero crabs in my subs and they seem to keep the cheato clean

 

[Lps_lover12]

Yeah, an excessive population of bristle worms men’s that you are over feeding the tank as there is enough left over for them to subsist on. Get your feeding in line and they will go away for the most part.

You’re probably over feeding your tank. Bristleworms are detritus, bottom feeders - without food, they will die. Yes, they look nasty and can sting if you happen grab rocks (them) with your bare hands! I used to have literally thousands of them and now can’t find one at night. You can catch them, find natural predators, ignore them (they are actually good for your reef), or feed less. Bottom line: there are other things to focus on and bristleworm eradication is probably low on that list. Good luck!

Good to know so thank you! And yes you are right there are more important things to focus on lol

 

[Lps_lover12]

I used flatworm exit last night and I can confirm in my bristle worm dominated tank hundreds if not thousands of them came out of the gravel and rocks withering like snakes with their heads chopped off. I proceeded to suck them all up without issue. Thought I will say you will never truly be rid of bristle worms that’s like trying to have a tank without copepods ect just won’t happen

Ok maybe I’ll give that a shot, just to get rid of some

 

[taricha]

I've seen a coral banded shrimp eat them

a coral banded shrimp dropped the populations down to almost zero (over a long time).

 

[ti_lavender]

I have a lot of bristleworms that were out all the time (day & night). I recently got a flame hawk a few days ago and haven't seen my bristleworms wander around like they used to. I believe the hawk's either been eating them or at the very least scaring them in to hiding.

 

[homer1475]

You will never get rid of them, They are a crucial part of owning a marine tank. You can limit their population with pest hunters(certain wrasses, arrow crab, etc, etc), but they will always be in your tank regardless.