Bristol worms

[twopumpsump]

How big can bristol worns get?

At rate do they grow?

And at what point do they become dangerous?

[jaymz101]

bristol worns?? you mean bristle worms?? Depends on the species but most stay under a foot. Again dangerous depends on the species. Most are beneficial scavengers. Howeve some of the genus Hermodice are polyp eaters. IF you notice one and havent seen anything being eaten or mysteriously missing, odds are you have a good guy. If youre still worried, you can always remove it and put it ina refuge or in the freezer.

[mnestroy]

Read this article :)

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=854014

[jefdmf]

jaymz101, you state that most bristle worms are beneficial scavengers, yet some of the genus Hermodice are polyp eaters.

We have at least 2 (maybe 3) bristle worms. We haven't notices that anything is being eaten or mysteriously missing, except we have noticed that a few small snails may be gone. We've noticed 2 maybe 3 emptyp shells in the last month.

Natural death or death by bristle worm?

[reef4me2]

I've seen many bristleworms in my tank for as long as I've had it... Some as large as 6" or so. I've never had any problems with them. I actually kinda like 'em! Turn out the lights and drop in a pellet of fish food and watch 'em all come out of their hiding spots in search of it! LOL

[jefdmf]

Good news - thanks. Those that we've seen appear to be several inches long (4-5") and look a lot like the Aquarium Fireworm illustrated in the 'Marine Invertebrates' species book.

We are new at this - our tank is just 4 months old.

[jaymz101]

Correct some of the Hermodyce are polyp eaters, there are also some that will catch and eat fish. But....by and large most are detritovores and scavengers. Most are beneficial to a tank....there are the few "bad apples" that spoil the bunch though.

Ive had my tank running for almost a year and just spotted fireworm for the first time (genus Eurythoe) I came home late one night and he was eating a dead snail I had left for my other scavengers. I dotn know how I missed him, hes almost 8 inches long.

[Sk8r]

The type generally found in live rock and coming in with corals is the Pacific Bristleworm, which can grow quite large, but which is a very essential assist for the corals. It digests fish and snail poo into a size of particle useable by sps coral. Some experts argue that without them in the tank, sps wouldn't do as well.

I've also seen scary photographs of tank bottoms where no worms exist, and poo just lies there a quarter inch deep.

They eat only already-dead things, and do not attack, though I've seen one wrestle with a hermit or a plate coral for a fish-pellet...the worm can win against the coral, but not the hermit. They will sting your hand painfully if you touch their bristles, but can crawl across a coral without damaging its delicate skin. And they clean holes in rock that nothing else can reach, thus preventing nitrate buildup.

There is no such thing as a 'dangerous size' imho. I have a couple of 10 inchers and one nearly that big, and they're mild-mannered and generally appear only for food they've learned they can eat...won't stir for cyclopeeze, but pellet food will bring them in a hurry.

[jefdmf]

Thanks again - this is terrific and helfpul. The bristle worms are now viewed as tank-mates and no longer as something to worry about and/or remove. Best regards.

[55semireef]

I noticed when I threw in a Britleworm for my Niger Trigger to munch on, some of its bristles stuck to the Niger's mouth. Is that a part of natural defense?