Just bought a nano with BRISTLE WORMS HELP

[islandcreation]

I just bought a used tank for a good deal and noticed alot of Bristle. I know bristle worms usually hide but these don't. Plus there are some huge ones under the main rock. I tried putting food out and turning off the lights but the bigger worms are so long that they don't have to come out of the rock. Those bristle worm traps don't work! :burningup
Any solutions. I was told if I really went to an extreme I'd have to wears some gloves and take out the main rock. Then I'd have to sulk it into a high concentration of saltinity of water. If I did this would this make the worms come out and would it hurt the rock? The rock is great and don't want to destroy it.
If all else fails I'll just have to live with it. :anxious

ANY TIPS ANYONE?

 

[skipm]

A hypersalinity dip like you described won't hurt anything, the worms and other life will simply come out of the rock looking for a more comfortable place to go, you can then pick and choose what goes back in the tank. If you have any corals on the rock wave your hand in front of them to make them retract before removing the rock. Good luck.

 

[skipm]

A hypersalinity dip like you described won't hurt anything, the worms and other life will simply come out of the rock looking for a more comfortable place to go, you can then pick and choose what goes back in the tank. If you have any corals on the rock wave your hand in front of them to make them retract before removing the rock. Good luck.

 

[islandcreation]

Thanks Skip... How long would I have to leave it in the high concentration?

 

[skipm]

I would say less than 5 minutes and everything that is going to come out will have left the rock.

 

[Jennie]

Brittleworms are a cheap addition to your clean up crew. Their population is going to be relative to their food source. If they are left with a little food supply then their numbers are going to decline, and vise versa. I've got a few large ones myself, and have yet to find them causing any problems. IMO I would keep them.

HTH

 

[sadielynn]

I leave the small ones but the bigger ones give me the creeps so they inspect the porcelain throne for leaks :mrgreen:
They are in virtually all reef tanks as long as you have live rock and sand you probably have em :mrgreen:

 

[skipm]

I am with you Sadie, I have a ton of the small ones but I don't want any of the ones that look like furry snakes in my tanks. Any over about 2 1/2 inches is food for the porcelin chair.

 

[islandcreation]

Ha,ha,ha :razz: I heard if you don't capture the whole worm, meaning you break it in have they can re-generate! Is that true?

For me, the little ones are okay but I just saw a 5-6 inch one. And since its in a 5 gallon it looks like a monster! Thanks everyone!

 

[NemoNano]

Hi guys,

I have been reading about Bristle and I heard they sting like crazy. I have a clear-brownish colored(about 1 inch long) one in my tank. I can not seem to catch it. It moves too fast.

Eric

 

[skipm]

Eric,
Small ones like that are not harmful to the tank at all in fact they are good scavengers. Its the real big ones you want to get rid of. I like to compare them to a cactus, its not the animal that stings its the "hairs" that stick in your skin and are quite irritating.
I have also heard that if you leave enough of the worm intact it can regenerate but at least it isn't as big as it was and I can always try catching it another day.

 

[sadielynn]

its kind of like fiberglass
and yes they will regenerate if you break it in half and leave both halvs it will become 2 worms uke:

 

[NemoNano]

I already gave up tryng to get him.

islandcreation if you find out a good way to catch them please let me know.

Eric

 

[Jennie]

Here are a few I pulled from my 30g and placed into my fuge. These were taken while in a 5-6" Convalescent container.

 

[islandcreation]

Eric for the small wroms like your one inch worm, I bought a turkey base (i think thats what its called :roll and sucked him up. For the bigger bad boys I'm gonna cut him in half and make him smaller. Catch the other half thats out with a net and get him when he's whole next time.
Jennia how did you get that monster out fo the tank? Was his whole body exposed just to get him, or did you have some technic to lure him out. When their that big thats ridiculous. Thanks

 

[sadielynn]

:shock:
Jenni that looks like a few we pulled from the 7 gallon kinda creepy looking :mrgreen:

 

[NemoNano]

Jennie those are some nasty worms.

Thanks islandcreation I will try to suck the worm up next time I see him.

Eric

 

[Jennie]

Island, I had a shippment come in that was delayed. One of the critters was a huge brittle star, and due to the delay didn't make it past the night. The big worm in the picture was cleaning up the mess.

 

[EDGRAY]

God jennie really ....and well i had tried everything with the turkey baster, twizer....and no luck catching them.....

eddy :cool1:

 

[Jennie]

It was as simple as picking up the remains of the brittle star. I guess the monster wasn't done with his dinner :neutral: