how many is too many???

ok. i know about the ongoing debate of the bristleworm but i have a few questions. i have a new 34 gallon with 30 lbs of substrate and 40 lbs of live rock and i've seen a few bristles but wasnt too worried. i just got my first fish a yellow tail damsel and when i fed him some mysis i literally saw about 50 bristleworms. i was shocked. what should i do? i've heard that 6 line wrasse will kill them but my tank is still cycling. will lieutenant shiny sides (my damsel) be ok?

 

That is a lot, man. Especially a 34g tank.They usually dont like the light. I never had one go after a live fish.

 

so you think it will b ok? is there anything i should be doing. ive heard u can suck them up with a turkey baster.

 

I left mine alone cause its the part of the tank that most of us need. Cleanup..

 

Just make sure you're not overfeeding and they'll eventually die off.. I had a hermit crab that used to eat them, but your YTD should be fine

 

A few times I would sneak in with the tweezers and grab them before they could get away. Kinda fun when your bored. Get the real long ones
Adam

 

Be careful, I watched a worker at my LFS while picking out my live rock get stuck by one, he said he was used to it but he said it does sting a little, I would imagine like a bee sting.

 

Nope. It's like a cactus. You get the bristles stuck in you. A fireworm is a type of bristleworm (polychaeate) that feels like a bee sting and a cactus at the same time.

 

IMO If theres 50 you can see.. There's 150 you can't see..
They maybe good, till you get to many..

I use a turkey baster, works real good.. Overfeeding will make ALOT of them..

Good Luck Larry

 

If your not over feeding and maintain your tank their population will balance out to what ever the tank can support.If their multiplying it means they must have enough to eat