Bristleworms

[mgmparrothead]

Bristleworms... good or bad? We have about 4-5 of them that come out after dark. Some info says a few are good, but don't let it get out of hand. Other articles say they are bad.

[bertoni]

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/rs/index.htm

That article has a lot of information.

There are many species of bristleworms. One species turns up in live rock, although rarely, and causes trouble. The rest are fine, IMO.

[romunov]

Some info says a few are good, but don't let it get out of hand. Other articles say they are bad.
Info is ignorant. Most are, as bertoni said, benificial. They are THE ultimate cleanup crew. There is no such thing as getting out of hand. If there are many (how subjective), that means they have lots of food. If they weren't there, the food would rot and you'd have to do even more water changes.
With the useful function of being good cleaners, their sperm and eggs help feed your filter feeding animals.

[MattG]

bristle worms get a bad rep because people see them cleaning up a dead or dying animal and blame the worm for the death. They are a great detrivore and an asset to your tank.

[onecrzyboi4u]

i agree they are good.. i have lots in my tank.. but if ur worried there reproducin too much.. just take a panty hose and put some food in it enough to make a small ball of it..then tie a knot in the and leave it in the tank over night.. ( make sure the balls reaches the bottom of the tank..) in the morn in .. the worms should have gotten stuck on the panty hose trying to get to the food..

[sbluscombe]

They are ugliy looking!

[onecrzyboi4u]

true.. but everything can't be pretty.. as long as they get the job done.. whats the deal?

[Key Of David]

I agree they are pretty hideous looking but I love the fact that they're in my tank working at night to rid my tank of poop. :)

[sbluscombe]

I know.They just give me the hee bee gee bees! sorry!

[onecrzyboi4u]

heheh. i understand at first when i seen one.. i didn't know what to make of it.. i just sat there starin at it lol..

[bertoni]

Gee, I think they're neat. I petted one of mine (with gloves on). didn't seem to mind.

[romunov]

I'm night raiding my tank in search of "bristle" worms. :)
I just sit there and observe them. Very fascinating animals. :D

[SteveC56]

how big can they get?

[bertoni]

I think up to a few feet long, depending on the species.

[SteveC56]

I pulled an 8 - 10" worm out of my LR last week, it didn't look like a bristleworm to me. Atleast the ones I am familiar with, could be some other type of worm.

[jeffb3t]

If you don't want to keep them they make great bait for night fishing in the ocean.

[mthedude]

I pull them from my main tank and put them in the fuge when I capture them but I don't do it unless I see the worm on the substate. The ones in the rocks are faster than heck and I can't ever grab them.

[DrBDC]

They're kinda cool with all the color variations. Some are grey and some very pink. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[mcdonaldtj]

Can you buy Brissleworms or do they just come as hitchhiker's?

[onecrzyboi4u]

they come as hitchhikers ....every tank has them!! if u have live rock... i never heard of anyone buyin them.// most people would give them away

[daFrimpster]

http://www.inlandaquatics.com/prod/tr_invert.html
Baby Bristle worms 99 cents each!

[DrBDC]

99 cents!!!!!!! I'm gonna get me another stock tank, some sand and start making money! :))

[daFrimpster]

I hear ya. I could make at least a hundred bucks from my 10 gallon alone.

[romunov]

I guess the average size of bristle worms in our tanks would probably be under an inch. :)

Steve, could you have encountered Eunice?

[bertoni]

I see bristleworms over 1" quite frequently in my tanks. At 1", they're most likely babies. Searching at night is the way to see the action, IME.

[DrBDC]

I've got a dozen or more that are at least 6" or longer.

[SteveC56]

I looked at some of the Eunice articles and looked at some of the pictures but the worm I found didn't look like them. It looked exactly like an earthworm, smooth sectioned body, pinkish brown in color and no tenticles or feelers on it's head

[bertoni]

If you can get a sharp closeup, maybe of the head, Dr Shimek might be able to help.

[SteveC56]

it's dead and gone