I've got WAY TOO MANY BRISTLE WORMS!

[Rick.45cal]

I’d take the opportunity to get an Arrow crab and let him do the work. They are kind of fascinating creatures. Plus you can watch nature take it’s course!

 

[ourcoralreef]

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.

Wrasses are natural predators
Corris
Melanurus

They live off detritus so by lowering their food source they would slowly die this is not the best option since by them dying you are creating a food source

Its a shame the little green traps (trap em) by coralife are discontinued it has worked very well for me in the past

 

[leorii2000]

Amazing yuck. I rather skip,them all together.find other less nasty cleaners.

 

[Greg’s_525xl-Reefer]

I have seen my copperband suck them down like spaghetti. He’s a constant grazer/hunter though and when I upset him he taunts me and eats my lobo..... I pick my battles with him.

 

[Dan Snyder]

This is amazing! Over a few nights, got about hundred. Only tried 1 DIY, didn’t work. This is worth every penny If you have a lot. I use clam meat, works perfectly.

 

[PanchoG]

Yuck!!!!! OMG!!!

That gives me new appreciation for my wrasses crop (melanarus, coris and six lines). Good luck with those nasty worms.

 

[PhreeByrd]

So many people completely miss the big picture, wanting to advise you on how to remove them...

But as just a couple of other posters have mentioned, your worms are eating something (and a lot of it). If you simply remove the worms without addressing the issue of the excess food that's allowing their population to explode as it has, then what will happen to all that excess food? It will sit on the bottom of your tank and rot, adding nutrients and waste.

Like all animals in our tanks, the worm population is self-regulating. There will only be as many as there is food to support. Our fish generally need a lot less food than we tend to think they do, and they will be far healthier and happier with more frequent, small feedings. Feeding too much at one time is likely leaving a lot of uneaten food to prop up your worm population. I would first reduce feedings (maybe drastically so), and continue to do so until you're confident that your fish are eating every bit of food you give them. The bristleworm population will gradually fall naturally. I would not remove any until you reach that point.

Keep in mind that bristleworms are also detritivores, so they will not suddenly starve to death without "real food" to eat.

 

[JacquieBeginnerReef]

I think everyone has seen this, but in case you haven't:

Had not seen that, and now I could unsee it!

 

[mikenestle]

I have a bunch as well. I also have an Anthias so I feed often. I see them in my fuge and almost never in my DT. No wrasses just one Orchid Dottyback in the tank. I think just having the natural predator keeps them in hiding. I wouldn't feed your Anthias less just to make a dent in the worm population.

I agree with some of the other posters. Let them do their job.

 

[Florida Sunshine]

I agree with the above that they are generally good detrivores and I leave them alone in the rare case that I see them at this point. I do however remember a very old DIY version of a trap that worked well for me when I originally saw them and freaked out. (They do look creepy.) Just take some filter floss or cotton batting and put a piece of anything fishy inside. Then put that into a piece of a woman's stocking and put it in the tank at lights out. Their bristles get trapped in the stocking material and they can't get away. You could just throw it and the worms attached away and make a new one for the next day etc.

 

[WVfishguy]

I have that many in my 75 gallon. I put two arrow crabs and a banded coral shrimp and it made NO difference. I'm using the 75 to grow up baby Banggaii cardinals, and they eat a lot of newly hatched brine shrimp, which bristle worms apparently love. Excess bristles can be harmful - I have seen them overpopulate and die out at the same time, resulting in the only tank crashes I've had in 40 years in the hobby.

 

[Mark Gray]

You could send some to me I would pay shipping

 

[Sistawolf]

I was going to say.. blow your tank to pieces but that’s just me.. I know that is what I would do.. good or not.. they give me the creeps yuck

 

[MikeW9788]

I have just as many and even some bigger ones and I wouldn't think of getting rid of them, I'd rather worry about real problems. Plus the kids like them.

 

[RJ F.]

I had one in my tank that I saw only once. It was during a feeding. I have a 6 line wrasse and have never saw it again. 6 lines love em

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

You could send some to me I would pay shipping

Mark, I'd be happy to send you some. Shoot me a pm

 

[ihavecrabs]

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.

Coral banded shrimp eats them as well.

 

[Wolf89]

Man, that's pretty crazy. I dont have a single bristle worm in my tank, I really wish I had some.

 

[Marv]

Years ago I had a similar situation and I purchased a Longnose Hawkfish that kept the bristle worm numbers under control.

 

[Bob the Bass]

What is the best fish/invert to eat these guys?