bristleworms

[MBuck]

I have a 90g RR AGA, and a 125g RR AGA. I have a bristleworm infestation!!! I looked last night, and there has got to be HUNDREDS of BW in the 90g. It is a reef, I thought of adding a fish that would eat them, but some of them are 4-5" long!! Is there a way to capture them? I don't mind having them, they eat absolutely everything that is leftover, but my gosh, I feel like I am raising a BW farm....

Food for the 90g:
I feed 1/2 cube each of brine, mysis, emerald entree and add a few pellets once a day. I have 2-perc, a lawnmower blenny, 2 yellow head JF, and 3 banghaiis. All food has selcon added, as I am trying to get some babies!!!

I run a ASM skimmer, and do 10-15% water changes weekly...

The 125g is FOWLR, they are not near as bad in there, and it has more fish, and gets more food!!! Suppose someone in there is eating them? I have a DF puffer, dw. Lion, racoon butt., LemonPeel angel, 2 chromis, lawnmower blenny and a foxface. Why so many in the 90g?

What do I do about them? TIA!!!!

[mslade1979]

ive posted this question b4 lol, had some ans back that might be helpfull!!! semmebly the royal gramma eats them with a vengence and a boxing shrimp!! anouther thing i was told is that im over feeding the tank, so have cut back and they dnt seem to be multyplying anymore!!! hope this helps!!!

[AnimaliA]

Bristle Worms are actually good for your reef...as long as their populations are in check. I have tons in each of my tanks and have never had a problem. They are scavengers and if you have a population explosion of BW's I would check to see if you are overfeeding and/or if there are any dead spots where there is bio matter accumulating. Cutting back on feedings will help, but manual removal of the larger worms (long tweezers) may be necessary.

[drummereef]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Like you said, they eat everything that's leftover. Maybe cut back on the feeding some. But, overall they are good for the system. ;)

[650-IS350]

If you REALLY wanted to get rid of some or just control the poplution , an arrow crab can do some damage and a sixline wrasse as well.. Personally I would rather have bunch of bristle worms as they help in dietrus consumption

[KJB32]

I agree with the others. They are good at eating the leftovers, and shouldn't really bother anything. If you think you have too many, then chances are you a feeding a bit too much.

[Young Frankenstein]

can someone post a photo how they look like?

[MBuck]

Not the best pic, as they are "fuzzy" along the sides, and seem to flatten out when they come out to feed, and are not near as round as the pic represents. If I can get a pic of one in the tank, I will post it tomorrow...

They have this irredescent pink color to them....almost shimmery.


http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/86521polychaete.jpg

[TealF]

Hello,

First, maybe slow down your feeding to every other day, and second, I have used tongs to catch some. good fertilizer for the front yard lol

[LeslieH]

Cool, something different instead of the same old amphinomids for a change! :) That looks like the body of a lumbrinerid polychaete or maybe an oenonid. The end is regenerating so I'm not sure exactly what it is. If you can get a pic of one with an intact head I can id it. When their bodies are extended it's more oval in cross section but when it contracts it becomes round just as you noticed. To have that kind of polychaete abundance there's has to be a ton of food for them. Perhaps if you vacuumed the sand & rocks or temporarily brought in a more effective detritivore the worm population will crash. A baited trap should work as well.