100 worms - bristle or fire?

PermaNoob · 12/12/2010, 10:16 PM

I must have about 100 worms in my 120. Spotted the first about 2 months ago and now the thing must be 4-5" long and also now I have them just about everywhere. There must be like a hundred of them.

Are these fireworms or bristle worms?

Since I have too many to trap, will anything eat them? While I've had my tank for about a year, the only coral I have are GSP, an acan colony and a few rock nems that I can't get rid of. I have 7 fish, clown, fridmani dottyback, royal gamma, yellow tang, purple tang, cardinal and a hellfricki firefish.

Thanks.

monopolybag · 12/12/2010, 10:29 PM

Need a pic. Sixline wrasses sometimes do the trick, but I wouldn't due to your number of fish and sometimes they can bully other fish.

Coral Banded Shrimp. Try adding one of medium size. Also physically remove any with gloves or tweezers when you see them.

monopolybag · 12/12/2010, 10:32 PM

There are many other fish that do too but I would not add mreo fish.

Kentsreef · 12/12/2010, 10:38 PM

maybe something like this would help ?

Drill a 1/8- to 1/4-inch hole in one of the PVC caps. Place it on one end of your PVC pipe. Make sure it is on tight.

2
Squid is excellent fireworm bait.Place a few brine shrimp or a few pieces of squid at the other end of the pipe, and cap the end with the other PVC cap. Again, make sure the cap is on tight.

3Drop the pipe into your aquarium, let it sit overnight and check it in the morning. The fireworm should enter the pipe to retrieve the food and will still be inside.

4Repeat steps 1 through 3 if you don't trap the fireworm on the first night.
.

SushiGirl · 12/12/2010, 10:44 PM

I had 100 in a 10 gallon that had a damsel and a very large hermit in it LOL. I wouldn't worry about 100 in a 120! However, they will die back if they're not getting enough food, so maybe cut down on your feeding if you're overfeeding the fish.

You could also put food in a piece of pantyhose and when they get wrapped up in it yank it out.

PermaNoob · 12/13/2010, 05:06 PM

Thanks. Maybe I'll try the coral banded shrimp. I just don't think trapping them will be very productive due to the number of them.

Sk8r · 12/13/2010, 05:09 PM

Don't get rid of them. They're valuable cleanup crew. Their population will adjust over time. They'll save your tank if you keep a healthy population. They're just stirring about because they're hungry. They can't hurt any of your fish or critters: they only eat slime off dead things, and clean the holes in the rockwork. they appreciate a little sinking pellet food. Bad, bad mistake to remove them.

disciple · 12/13/2010, 05:35 PM

+1 Sk8r
Just because its a worm doesn't make it a bad guy.
Here is a good sit to checkout
www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchworms.html

hitchworms.htmlwww.chucksaddiction.com/hitchworms.html

disciple · 12/13/2010, 05:37 PM

Boy my phone messed that up.

PermaNoob · 12/13/2010, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk8r

Don't get rid of them. They're valuable cleanup crew. Their population will adjust over time. They'll save your tank if you keep a healthy population. They're just stirring about because they're hungry. They can't hurt any of your fish or critters: they only eat slime off dead things, and clean the holes in the rockwork. they appreciate a little sinking pellet food. Bad, bad mistake to remove them.

My main concern is I believe they killed my only clam (found a bunch of them inside it one day and it was totally gone except for the shell by next morning) and these things are getting bigger every day. The biggest one is about 5". That is scarey big.

If you're confident they're good and won't harm anything (including growing big enough to climb out and eat my child lol) then I'll leave them in there. thanks.

SushiGirl · 12/13/2010, 09:22 PM

Likely your clam died & they cleaned it up. I always pulled out the 5+ inchers, but I only had a 38 gallon tank LOL.

Frogmanx82 · 12/13/2010, 09:53 PM

To me they perform a similar function to nassarius snails. They help keep the tank clean. I'm sure I have hundreds. I thought about arrow crabs, coral banded, some of the wrasses or dottybacks, but all those came with issues that could be more problematic than the worms, which are not problematic at all except for when my wife spots one and gets a little freaked out. Fortunately they don't spend a lot of time in the light.

Angel*Fish · 12/13/2010, 10:42 PM

Like the others said, they are very beneficial. What you want to avoid is buying fish or crabs that will kill them off, in my opinion.

ChicagoReefer88 · 12/13/2010, 11:27 PM

I wish i had more of them, +1 on beneficial. I know what you mean the big ones are nasty looking but def not harmful. Get a mandarin goby im sure he will make a living out of those things and he is dam pretty too

Frogmanx82 · 12/13/2010, 11:39 PM

I didn't know mandarins ate bristleworms. Are you sure about that? If true than my mandarin is set.

Frogmanx82 · 12/13/2010, 11:44 PM

"Lucky for you Mandarin fish have not been known to eat Bristleworms"

That from wetwebmedia.

Angel*Fish · 12/13/2010, 11:51 PM

If you want to see a fish eat bristleworms, get a huma huma trigger. It's quite spectacular. They can spit the worm out in a straight line and then suck it back up. And no, don't really get a huma huma

Alace · 12/14/2010, 12:10 AM

in my last tank (240 in wall and total 500 gal) i had millions maybe billions..lol and when i had a clam die or anything else they would say the tank by cleaning it all up before the dead could harm my tank.. so keep the worms... good for your tank...

Alace · 12/14/2010, 12:12 AM

0h and 5inchers are nothing... in my sump when i took it all down there was one in there that scared the hell out of me, he was about 12 inches.. made my husband remove him and get rid of him..

Blown76mav · 12/14/2010, 11:05 AM

Bristleworms are nothing, try having a elucid worm in your tank

Pulled one out a year ago almost 24" long.....

sslak · 12/14/2010, 12:03 PM

I have tons of the same. They are good for your tank!

I would try to avoid touching them if possible, some do look like they have the little glass sliver like spines. Mine are exactly the same, and I've yet to have any serious problems. Even if they do poke you when you're handling rocks or whatever, it will be irritating at worst from what I've experienced. It's like touching fiberglass insulation, it itches and it's annoying.

PermaNoob · 12/14/2010, 05:24 PM

Thanks all. Just so I know, are these indeed bristle worms or are they fire worms. I'll keep them though thanks.

rivoth · 12/15/2010, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PermaNoob

Thanks all. Just so I know, are these indeed bristle worms or are they fire worms. I'll keep them though thanks.

Fireworms and Bristle Worms are really just common names for the same group of animals. So they are both.

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

12/13/2010, 05:09 PM	#7
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Don't get rid of them. They're valuable cleanup crew. Their population will adjust over time. They'll save your tank if you keep a healthy population. They're just stirring about because they're hungry. They can't hurt any of your fish or critters: they only eat slime off dead things, and clean the holes in the rockwork. they appreciate a little sinking pellet food. Bad, bad mistake to remove them. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

12/13/2010, 09:53 PM	#12
Frogmanx82 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,515	To me they perform a similar function to nassarius snails. They help keep the tank clean. I'm sure I have hundreds. I thought about arrow crabs, coral banded, some of the wrasses or dottybacks, but all those came with issues that could be more problematic than the worms, which are not problematic at all except for when my wife spots one and gets a little freaked out. Fortunately they don't spend a lot of time in the light. __________________ Exodus 8:2 Check my homepage for tank pics and details. Current Tank Info: 90 gallon, 2x maxspect R420R LED, 4 Ocellaris Clowns, Yellow Eye Kole Tang, Flame Angel, Foxface Rabbitfish, Banggai Cardinals, Azure Damsel, rock flower anemone, cleaner shrimp, serpent star

12/13/2010, 10:42 PM	#13
Angel*Fish cats and large squashes Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Houston Posts: 5,951 Blog Entries: 1	Like the others said, they are very beneficial. What you want to avoid is buying fish or crabs that will kill them off, in my opinion. __________________ Marie So long, & thanks for all the fish! __________________________ Current Tank Info: Pairs: flame angels, cherub angels, Red Sea mimic blennies, yellow fin fairy wrasses, clowns, mandarins, blackcap basslets, shrimp gobies, damsels, dispar anthias, yellow clown gobies, threadfin cardinals --- Tanks: 100g reef, 2 x 30g refugiums

12/13/2010, 11:39 PM	#15
Frogmanx82 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,515	I didn't know mandarins ate bristleworms. Are you sure about that? If true than my mandarin is set. __________________ Exodus 8:2 Check my homepage for tank pics and details. Current Tank Info: 90 gallon, 2x maxspect R420R LED, 4 Ocellaris Clowns, Yellow Eye Kole Tang, Flame Angel, Foxface Rabbitfish, Banggai Cardinals, Azure Damsel, rock flower anemone, cleaner shrimp, serpent star

12/13/2010, 11:44 PM	#16
Frogmanx82 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,515	"Lucky for you Mandarin fish have not been known to eat Bristleworms" That from wetwebmedia. __________________ Exodus 8:2 Check my homepage for tank pics and details. Current Tank Info: 90 gallon, 2x maxspect R420R LED, 4 Ocellaris Clowns, Yellow Eye Kole Tang, Flame Angel, Foxface Rabbitfish, Banggai Cardinals, Azure Damsel, rock flower anemone, cleaner shrimp, serpent star

12/12/2010, 10:29 PM	#2
monopolybag Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 65	Need a pic. Sixline wrasses sometimes do the trick, but I wouldn't due to your number of fish and sometimes they can bully other fish. Coral Banded Shrimp. Try adding one of medium size. Also physically remove any with gloves or tweezers when you see them.

12/12/2010, 10:32 PM	#3
monopolybag Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 65	There are many other fish that do too but I would not add mreo fish.

12/12/2010, 10:38 PM	#4
Kentsreef Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Orangevale Posts: 75	maybe something like this would help ? Drill a 1/8- to 1/4-inch hole in one of the PVC caps. Place it on one end of your PVC pipe. Make sure it is on tight. 2 Squid is excellent fireworm bait.Place a few brine shrimp or a few pieces of squid at the other end of the pipe, and cap the end with the other PVC cap. Again, make sure the cap is on tight. 3Drop the pipe into your aquarium, let it sit overnight and check it in the morning. The fireworm should enter the pipe to retrieve the food and will still be inside. 4Repeat steps 1 through 3 if you don't trap the fireworm on the first night. .

12/12/2010, 10:44 PM	#5
SushiGirl Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Fort Worth, TX USA Posts: 8,267	I had 100 in a 10 gallon that had a damsel and a very large hermit in it LOL. I wouldn't worry about 100 in a 120! However, they will die back if they're not getting enough food, so maybe cut down on your feeding if you're overfeeding the fish. You could also put food in a piece of pantyhose and when they get wrapped up in it yank it out.

12/13/2010, 05:06 PM	#6
PermaNoob Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: NJ Posts: 115	Thanks. Maybe I'll try the coral banded shrimp. I just don't think trapping them will be very productive due to the number of them.

12/13/2010, 05:35 PM	#8
disciple Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 155	+1 Sk8r Just because its a worm doesn't make it a bad guy. Here is a good sit to checkout www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchworms.html hitchworms.htmlwww.chucksaddiction.com/hitchworms.html

12/13/2010, 05:37 PM	#9
disciple Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 155	Boy my phone messed that up.

12/13/2010, 09:22 PM	#11
SushiGirl Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Fort Worth, TX USA Posts: 8,267	Likely your clam died & they cleaned it up. I always pulled out the 5+ inchers, but I only had a 38 gallon tank LOL.

12/13/2010, 11:27 PM	#14
ChicagoReefer88 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Chicago Posts: 121	I wish i had more of them, +1 on beneficial. I know what you mean the big ones are nasty looking but def not harmful. Get a mandarin goby im sure he will make a living out of those things and he is dam pretty too

12/13/2010, 11:51 PM	#17
Angel*Fish cats and large squashes Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Houston Posts: 5,951 Blog Entries: 1	If you want to see a fish eat bristleworms, get a huma huma trigger. It's quite spectacular. They can spit the worm out in a straight line and then suck it back up. And no, don't really get a huma huma __________________ Marie So long, & thanks for all the fish! __________________________ Current Tank Info: Pairs: flame angels, cherub angels, Red Sea mimic blennies, yellow fin fairy wrasses, clowns, mandarins, blackcap basslets, shrimp gobies, damsels, dispar anthias, yellow clown gobies, threadfin cardinals --- Tanks: 100g reef, 2 x 30g refugiums

12/14/2010, 12:10 AM	#18
Alace Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Stayton, Oregon Posts: 51	in my last tank (240 in wall and total 500 gal) i had millions maybe billions..lol and when i had a clam die or anything else they would say the tank by cleaning it all up before the dead could harm my tank.. so keep the worms... good for your tank...

12/14/2010, 12:12 AM	#19
Alace Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Stayton, Oregon Posts: 51	0h and 5inchers are nothing... in my sump when i took it all down there was one in there that scared the hell out of me, he was about 12 inches.. made my husband remove him and get rid of him..

12/14/2010, 11:05 AM	#20
Blown76mav Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Lima, Oh Posts: 500	Bristleworms are nothing, try having a elucid worm in your tank Pulled one out a year ago almost 24" long..... __________________ I thought that this tank was big enough, now I know I'm wrong. Current Tank Info: 240g in wall, 150g sump.

12/14/2010, 12:03 PM	#21
sslak Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,705	I have tons of the same. They are good for your tank! I would try to avoid touching them if possible, some do look like they have the little glass sliver like spines. Mine are exactly the same, and I've yet to have any serious problems. Even if they do poke you when you're handling rocks or whatever, it will be irritating at worst from what I've experienced. It's like touching fiberglass insulation, it itches and it's annoying. __________________ Steve Current Tank Info: 58 Oceanic/20g Sump/250w XM 20k/2x39w T5 True Actinic 03/2010 Reef Octopus NW Cone Skimmer

12/14/2010, 05:24 PM	#22
PermaNoob Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: NJ Posts: 115	Thanks all. Just so I know, are these indeed bristle worms or are they fire worms. I'll keep them though thanks.

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