fireworms

skfuller · #1 02/21/2006, 04:26 PM

I have a problem with fireworms in my 125. As I am transferring to the 180 I would like to keep as many as possible from makeing the move. I have tried various baited traps (nylons, inverted bottles) to no avail. Any suggestions?

rkl303 · #2 02/21/2006, 09:05 PM

get a 6 line wrasse or pseudo chromis. I haven't even seen one in my 12 gallon after I put my 6 line in there. The only problem is he went carpet surfing & to that big ol toliet in the sky about 6 months ago but I haven't seen one in the longest time except at the LFS.

I am not sure if I like the store(probably because the prices are too high) but aqua imports has a very good looking splendid pseudochromi. Its the first time I've ever seen one but for $70, I'll hold off.

I'm sure feeding often will get the big worms attention w/ the pseudo and he'll do the rest

XeniaMania · #3 02/21/2006, 09:24 PM

If there are no corals attached to your rock, leave the rocks out overnight. I've done that in the past w/o any detrimental effects to the rock. It'll flush out the bristles, even some of the really big ones, like 7 inches and 1/2" wide.

XeniaMania · #4 02/21/2006, 09:25 PM

BTW...Bristleworms are always more plentiful than meets the eye..

Break open a rock and you'll see how many are truly in your system.

skfuller · #5 02/21/2006, 10:20 PM

Yikes!! So here is my plan, six line wrasse (was already workin on that!) All rock without attached coral out for a night, off to the garbage disposal for anyone that crawls out, and hopefully that will readuce numbers.

Are you certain that leaveing the rock out for a night wont cause a spike in my tank??

XeniaMania · #6 02/21/2006, 10:22 PM

Never has for me. But how cold are your nights? I should add that I was doing this during the summer when the nights were warmer. A 40 degree night time temp would kill off stuff. As an added precaution, maybe just do 1 to 2 rocks at a time or just leave them out for a few hours say 3-4, of course the longer the more worms will exit. The choice is yours. Get your toothpicks ready...

BTW, even overnight, the worms are still very much alive, just sorta lethargic.

Misfit6669 · #7 02/21/2006, 10:25 PM

Are they true fireworms or just Bristleworms? I think there is a difference but a lot of people still call B.worms F. worms but I could be completely wrong, it has happened once this year so far.

I wouldn't worry about Bristleworms at all.
Brian

XeniaMania · #8 02/21/2006, 10:29 PM

Aren't bristleworms called fireworms because the sting of their bristles feel like fire? Either way, you can touch them to make sure, I see anything red/purple with white bristles on the side, I'm sticking a toothpick or chopsticks to it.

Misfit6669 · #9 02/21/2006, 10:41 PM

I'm not sure about that but I never had any issue with bristleworms, they help keep the tank clean IMHO. It seems like I remember hearing about fireworms being different but it could be that just everybody screws them up but I am really not sure.

I think Arrowcrabs will also eat them if you are really dead set on killing them.

Misfit6669 · #10 02/21/2006, 10:54 PM

It seems like it goes in phases, first half of the year they are bad then everybody say they are ok. What am I missing? What is so bad about bristle worms? Not to sound like an arse but I would really like to know. Is this coming from the "I found a bristle worm eating my Tang" type of post? That might be better then the typical "hermit crabs killed my Tang" post. Hopefully you know where I am coming form.
Brian

XeniaMania · #11 02/21/2006, 11:00 PM

As I've stated in another bristle/fireworm forum. They are beneficial being detrivores. They just sting you if you happen to touch them which makes them a nuisance. In all honesty, I do have them in my refugium, and I'll sit there and watch this bright red 3 incher working away in the sand. But when I see a 7incher, that's when I freak..as I'm sure alot of people will..lol. I'm only trying to give advice to someone who does want to get rid of them. I am not saying "kill them all"..

XeniaMania · #12 02/21/2006, 11:03 PM

And no, this is not a "bristleworm killed my fish" thread...

Although it did pop out of my fish's belly like one of those Aliens...
LOL..j/k

Misfit6669 · #13 02/21/2006, 11:34 PM

I gotcha Xenia.

I just get concerned when we start seeing these threads again, reminds me of the Salem Witch Trials. Sometimes people do a search on bristle worms and get all freaked out about them. I had lots of them that would come out whenever I would feed the tank. Now, if I came across one that was 7 inches, I might get freaked out too but I never did. I also want to apologize for kinda hi-jacking the thread.

I would lean towards a natural fix if possible. If a 6-line will do it and not torment any other critters then great. Maybe also looking into the arrow crabs, they are pretty cool looking dudes and I think they are reef safe but don't take my word on that. I had one in my reef system for a while until he disappeared. I think Iodine is an issue with these guys and should be monitored to help them survive. Again, all this is very old info to me that I am pulling out of the back of my brain and it could be contaminated with other crap right now.
Brian

wanecek · #14 02/21/2006, 11:38 PM

The arrow crabs are the best for killing your bristleworms. They love them and they will not onlyh kill the small ones but the bigger ones. They are the only things I have seen go after bristleworms.

Of course they can sometimes not be reef safe. If they eat bristleworms there is a chance they might go after something else.

Michael

skfuller · #15 02/22/2006, 12:16 AM

I know that bristleworms are not a problem and that I have probably overfed and that has contributed to my problem. Correcting that mistake does not however take care of my current situation. I have done as much research as I can and I am at about a 85% certainty that they are indeed Fireworms........ The big one (Debbie after my husbands ex-wife) is at least 8"..... I have not seen her come completely our of her rock in over a year, and I think she could be as big as 12". She came in on my live rock two years ago. I thought she was a bristle worm, but as time has gone by I have read and seen more. Also, I see her offspring eating my coral, healty one day, dinner the next, I have come to despise her almost as much as her namesake!

As for her, I know where she lives, and I have a plan for her. It is her evil spawn I am now concerned with. I am concernd that an Arrow Crab would one day corner poor Benny, my Bi-color Blenny.

What about moveing the comtaminated rock to the sump of my new tank? I may sound niave, but would that give me the benifit of its filtration and keep those buggers away from my coral? Or would they just travel up via the pump as young uns'?

Just a thought.

Misfit6669 · #16 02/22/2006, 12:22 AM

You could put an arrow crab in your sump and move a few pieces of rock in it at a time. Get a cleaning cycle going. Not sure how the worms do their breeding thing but I think there would be a good chance that babies would end up in the return but I am not sure.

rkl303 · #17 02/22/2006, 01:02 AM

might want to be careful. Colorado is very dry so that might kill off rock alot quicker then it would in Cali.

XeniaMania · #18 02/22/2006, 02:06 AM

Well..if you know exactly which rock the big one is in, I'd go ahead and leave it out. The benefits totally outweight the downfall in my opinion. I personally wouldn't knowingly want a queen worm in my tank. I'd never be able to touch the rocks again..lol

skfuller · #19 02/22/2006, 09:11 AM

Tell me about it Zenia!!! there aren't gloves thick enougth!!

bmb527 · #20 02/22/2006, 11:26 AM

XeniaMania'
Not to be a thread jacker here, but your name makes me ask, what types of Xenia do you have in your tank? I am looking for 2 very specific types and would be interested in buying some from you if you have frag-able colonies. feel free to PM me in order to keep this thread on topic if you want.
Thanks,
Bill