Someone talk me off the ledge please?

cloudpanther · Apr 19, 2023

Hi All,

I have a 1 month old Fluval 13.5g. Last night I saw my first bristle worm and tonight I am seeing the start of what I think might be vermetid on my rocks. In my short bit of reading on vermetids (and being thoroughly creeped out by the bristle worm), I'm starting to get the urge to tear down my tank, bleach the heck out of everything, and start over with new dry sand and dry rock.

I started with dry sand, but live rock from my local LFS and premix saltwater also from my LFS. Currently, my tank has 2 baby clownfish and a recently deceased turbo snail (that my new bristleworm friend is enjoying). Everything in my tank is still stock, except for an upgraded pump (Sicce Syncra Silent 0.5), hygger 100W heater, and a aquarium filter sponge over one of the two output nozzles (the babies seemed to be struggling to swim in the current).

Can someone tell me that it's going to be okay? Or even tell me that it is a great idea to tear down and start over?

Waters · Apr 19, 2023

If you are that stressed over those, you are in trouble lol. Neither bristle worms or vermetids are a big deal....definitely not worth tearing your tank down over....or even giving them a second thought

Jay Hemdal · Apr 19, 2023

cloudpanther said:
Hi All,

I have a 1 month old Fluval 13.5g. Last night I saw my first bristle worm and tonight I am seeing the start of what I think might be vermetid on my rocks. In my short bit of reading on vermetids (and being thoroughly creeped out by the bristle worm), I'm starting to get the urge to tear down my tank, bleach the heck out of everything, and start over with new dry sand and dry rock.

I started with dry sand, but live rock from my local LFS and premix saltwater also from my LFS. Currently, my tank has 2 baby clownfish and a recently deceased turbo snail (that my new bristleworm friend is enjoying). Everything in my tank is still stock, except for an upgraded pump (Sicce Syncra Silent 0.5), hygger 100W heater, and a aquarium filter sponge over one of the two output nozzles (the babies seemed to be struggling to swim in the current).

Can someone tell me that it's going to be okay? Or even tell me that it is a great idea to tear down and start over?

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

IMO - you will discover all sorts of new critters in your tank as it matures. Most can either be ignored, or managed without having to tear the tank down. Indeed, if you do that, these animals will return with the next invertebrates or corals that you add.

Some of these animals are difficult to control (Aiptasia anemones if you let them get out of hand). Bristle worms are usually considered helpful. If they get out of hand that is because the tank is being overfed, or has too high of a bioload. Vermetids are also not much of a problem unless they get way out of control.

Fish diseases on the other hand can be a huge issue if you don't quarantine your fish. I would suggest buying pre quarantined fish, or tank raised fish direct from the breeder.

Jay

gbroadbridge · Apr 19, 2023

cloudpanther said:
Hi All,

I have a 1 month old Fluval 13.5g. Last night I saw my first bristle worm and tonight I am seeing the start of what I think might be vermetid on my rocks. In my short bit of reading on vermetids (and being thoroughly creeped out by the bristle worm), I'm starting to get the urge to tear down my tank, bleach the heck out of everything, and start over with new dry sand and dry rock.

I started with dry sand, but live rock from my local LFS and premix saltwater also from my LFS. Currently, my tank has 2 baby clownfish and a recently deceased turbo snail (that my new bristleworm friend is enjoying). Everything in my tank is still stock, except for an upgraded pump (Sicce Syncra Silent 0.5), hygger 100W heater, and a aquarium filter sponge over one of the two output nozzles (the babies seemed to be struggling to swim in the current).

Can someone tell me that it's going to be okay? Or even tell me that it is a great idea to tear down and start over?

Bristle worms are useful CUC and Vermitid snails are no big deal.

You're building a part of the ocean, these and other creatures are a normal part of the ecosystem and will find their way in no matter how hard you may try to keep them out.

Relax and enjoy the learning process.

hbubley · Apr 19, 2023

I totally get it, when I saw bristleworms in my tank I flipped. But I've gotten used to them over time and find them kind of pretty now

I agree with all the above comments, when you add something to your tank there is a high probability of hitchhikers, even if you're dipping all your corals and such.

thatmanMIKEson · Apr 19, 2023

cloudpanther said:
Hi All,

I have a 1 month old Fluval 13.5g. Last night I saw my first bristle worm and tonight I am seeing the start of what I think might be vermetid on my rocks. In my short bit of reading on vermetids (and being thoroughly creeped out by the bristle worm), I'm starting to get the urge to tear down my tank, bleach the heck out of everything, and start over with new dry sand and dry rock.

I started with dry sand, but live rock from my local LFS and premix saltwater also from my LFS. Currently, my tank has 2 baby clownfish and a recently deceased turbo snail (that my new bristleworm friend is enjoying). Everything in my tank is still stock, except for an upgraded pump (Sicce Syncra Silent 0.5), hygger 100W heater, and a aquarium filter sponge over one of the two output nozzles (the babies seemed to be struggling to swim in the current).

Can someone tell me that it's going to be okay? Or even tell me that it is a great idea to tear down and start over?

Lol if that was a reason I would have torn my tank down a long time ago! You'll only regret it if you were to tear the tank down just to do everything right and end up getting them again anyway....