Is bristleworm good for reek tank?

[ctxmonitor]

Hi.. I want to know if these critter are good or bad. I see some people try to get rid of them and others try to introduce them.. I know they are detrius eater, but other than that what are the benefit and disadvantages?

Also I want to know if small starfish good for the tank. I saw a few starfish in someone refugium and wanted to know if they are good or bad critter..

cTx

[ March 02, 2005, 04:44 PM: Message edited by: ctxmonitor ]

 

[Josh]

In general 99% of hitchhikers are good for the tank. Worms only show that the tank is healthy and you are created a nice biotype.

The only problem I can speak of regarding bristle worms is that the damn bristles get stuck in your fingers when you move your rock around or put your fingers in the sand. They are really painful! Duct tape apparently works well to remove them.

 

[ShaunW]

Those bristles certainly do hurt! My finger swells up for days after being hit and turns a bright red.

When the bristle worms spawn it is great to watch. My fish love the eggs, they go NUTS.

[ March 03, 2005, 12:58 AM: Message edited by: solbby ]

 

[Crakeur lost his password]

there's only a few bad bristle worms and they are rarely found on the live rock we buy. However, I had a worm in the old 180 that was massive and I found it surrounding the base of a massive leather one morning. I chased it off the leather and the base was badly damaged. Chased the worm into the mama mantis hole and hilarity ensued.

 

[mandarin]

From My experience bristleworms are very bad, if they grow large enoug they will even attach small fish like firefish that lock into the rock at nightand they love to burrow into soft coral and anenomes. They have traps with bait to get them out if they become abundant.

 

[ctxmonitor]

alright.. I see there is a mixed view on this. Shoot.. I think to be on the safest side, I should just remove or avoid them...