I've got WAY TOO MANY BRISTLE WORMS!

Daniel@R2R · Feb 18, 2019

I like bristle worms well enough. They're good members of CUC... but when I saw all these Saturday night after lights out, I decided I needed to do something...

These pics are just a small sample. They literally were covering every square inch of rock and sand I've got.

I'm not sure what to do at this point. Suggestions??

Jason mack · Feb 18, 2019

Send some too me please .....!!! I can't find one in my tank at the mo

I would make a trap for them ..plenty of DIY videos on YouTube...

Geebs19 · Feb 18, 2019

Wow, thats a lot!.

tautog83 · Feb 18, 2019

Probably in your plumbing too . Gross .lol

kichimark · Feb 18, 2019

Yup that is a ton. I would probably make a trap as mentioned but perhaps reduce the feedings since the population has exploded because of this.

ngoodermuth · Feb 18, 2019

Oh my goodness, that's a lot of worms ;Nailbiting Flashlight and long tweezers? Might take a while...

Daniel@R2R · Feb 18, 2019

Jason mack said:
Send some too me please .....!!! I can't find one in my tank at the mo
I would make a trap for them ..plenty of DIY videos on YouTube...

Haha! I'm happy to send some your way. PM me with an address.

kichimark said:
Yup that is a ton. I would probably make a trap as mentioned but perhaps reduce the feedings since the population has exploded because of this.

I was thinking of maybe trying a trap. I wonder how long it would take to reduce the population... On the feedings, I'm definitely feeding more than I ever have because I have an anthias, and those guys need to eat multiple times a day. Maybe I'm feeding too often...

Ligershark · Feb 18, 2019

trap with the panty hose worked well for me years ago

Dan I · Feb 18, 2019

You should try the DIY worm trap. Should be able to pull a lot of them out.

Katrina71 · Feb 18, 2019

Wow! Bristlepalooza 2019! Charge admission.

Greybeard · Feb 18, 2019

A few thoughts... That huge number of bristle worms is eating _something_...

If you dramatically reduce the population, what's going to happen to whatever it is they're eating?

My bi-color goatfish has been seen yanking a good sized bristle worm out from under a rock and eating it whole. Can't say if any other goatfish would do so... I'd never heard of them eating bristle worms, but mine certainly does.

Daniel@R2R · Feb 18, 2019

Haha!! Anybody got a link to a good DIY trap?

Daniel@R2R · Feb 18, 2019

I was also thinking maybe I could add a natural predator or 2, but the only one I know of is the arrow crab. @Greybeard I'd never heard of a goatfish doing that, but I'd be open to getting a fish that eats these if we can find something to show your experience is the norm.

Daniel@R2R · Feb 18, 2019

Well, I looked up the bicolor goatfish, and it does seem that it does like to eat these guys...but it also needs a 125g tank supposedly. My tank is significantly smaller than that (a 50g cube)

marlinmon · Feb 18, 2019

O M G. Hahaha dang!

PDR · Feb 18, 2019

I hear orchid dottybacks like to snack on bristle worms. I sure haven’t seen any since I added my orchid.

Jason mack · Feb 18, 2019

mdbannister said:
Haha!! Anybody got a link to a good DIY trap?

Sure ..here you go ..

tautog83 · Feb 18, 2019

After dark drop a piece of shrimp in middle of sand where there is no rocks . Wait an hour , then just net the ball of worms , probably get a good 30 right off the bat.

Daniel@R2R · Feb 18, 2019

Actually... LA says 125g minimum for the goatfish...but saltwaterfish.com says 50g... hmmm...

Jason mack · Feb 18, 2019

mdbannister said:
Haha! I'm happy to send some your way. PM me with an address.

I was thinking of maybe trying a trap. I wonder how long it would take to reduce the population... On the feedings, I'm definitely feeding more than I ever have because I have an anthias, and those guys need to eat multiple times a day. Maybe I'm feeding too often...

I would PM you ...but I live in Holland ...not sure they'd make it or if you'd even be allowed too