Arg u lil pest

philip_r5 · 12-14-2006, 11:16 PM

I hate these.

Good thing its in the sump I guess :p

How can I kill them other then pull them out with twizzers? What do they eat and other info on them? Thanks

Jason McKenzie · 12-14-2006, 11:37 PM

I would not call bristle worms a pest or a problem. they serve a purpose in your tank eating detritus. They are a good thing

J

rickzter · 12-14-2006, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason McKenzie

I would not call bristle worms a pest or a problem. they serve a purpose in your tank eating detritus. They are a good thing

J

Some, not all. When you run a reef with expensive and rare corals, especially LE's, you have to label them "guilty until proven innocent."

OoNickoC · 12-15-2006, 12:32 AM

They are a critical part of every system. The predatory type are rare and i highly doubt most people on this site have had problems INITIATED by them or even exaggerrated , those who claim they have witnessed predation usually saw there already dying cnidarian or "critter" being finished of as it should of been.

amcarrig · 12-15-2006, 06:49 AM

I'm with the consensus here that bristleworms are good. Fire worms, coral eating eunicid worms and the like are not good but rarely make it into our systems.

bouraganes · 12-15-2006, 07:06 AM

Philip r5 I have found its always a good idea to remove the big ones- I have seen them eating coral - I usually use a pair of stainless steel needle nose pliars- again it is only large adults I ever seen cause problems- the little guys are excelent at waste cleanup- the main thing is NOT TO OVERFEED YOUR TANK - then you could have a population explosion - lots of hungry worms scrounging for something to eat- that is when you could really expierience problems

Tangster · 12-15-2006, 07:16 AM

The bottom line with this pest as with most is its a sign the tank is overloaded with excess nutrients stop feeding the thing to death and they will starve out and not reproduce so readily. If you have them in the sump then there has to be a food source for them to live there.

Now on the other hand in proper numbers these are as needed , wanted and welcomed as any other living organisms to keep a healthy balance with in the system.

rickzter · 12-15-2006, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OoNickoC

They are a critical part of every system. The predatory type are rare and i highly doubt most people on this site have had problems INITIATED by them or even exaggerrated , those who claim they have witnessed predation usually saw there already dying cnidarian or "critter" being finished of as it should of been.

Perhaps you should message mannyhernz, there is one in his tank taking out ornamental shrimps and inverts.

Everyone gets these worms as hitch hikers but must keep them in control and possibly take as many out as possible.

philip_r5 · 12-15-2006, 12:42 PM

Hmm, I was told these were bad lil creatures. To get them out at all costs. I go to a lfs and I see them on some of their corals point them out and they are eger to get them out. I got the ones in the sump from the pet store also. They were hitch backs on some calupa. I got 4lbs of it for free so I aint complaing to much lol. So I think Im just going to play it safe and pull them out. Or is this not adviced?

Dyngoe · 12-15-2006, 12:53 PM

I third or fourth the statement that a bistle worm in your sump/fuge is at least benign if not good. I like to keep a cleaner or two in my fuge. Some people say to let your fuge get as dirty as possible, but I dissent from this oppinion. Since the whole thing is a closed system and detrius does make it's way into the fuge, I believe it's agood thing to clean some of it out. It won't help the waste in the tank, but will lower the total amount of waste in the system.