Hidden Predator

[Paul B]

I noticed many times over the years especially when I have an exotic looking crustacean like a shrimp or crab, they disappear when they molt.
I think I figured out why.
Bristle worms. I have loads of bristle worms and for the most part I leave them alone. I think the problem is the large ones as they can get 5 or 6", some larger. You almost never see these guys and they grow quickly but I feel they actively hunt down soft bodied animals like freshly molted crabs and eat them. They have a great sense of smell and if I put a piece of clam in the dark, in a few minutes I will see them slithering out of the rocks toward it, then they will fight over it. A newly molted crab or shrimp will offer little resistance to these guys. I think we should trap the larger worms. We will never be able to eliminate al of them but if you are losing animals you may want to look into these predators.
Besides that, they are fine.

 

[OOtzie]

+1 I agree, my bristle worms are huge and I only have a 14gal cube. I have a 5in one that I personally witnessed eating my tail spot blenny (r.i.p), so I pulled him out and fed it to pigeon !

 

[Weicowireman]

Bristle worms ate my clam inside out...


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[rookie07]

Bristle worms ate me sister

 

[House of Laughter]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=

Bristle worms ate me sister

You have a sister?

LOL

Back to topic.

House

 

[tonep]

I have a ton of bridle worms
A lot of people say they are a sign the tank is doing well but I am wondering if they are killing some fish and inverts
My water parameters are good my shrimp disappear after a while and something chased my jaw fish out of its borough then it disappeared
Could bridle worms kill fish?

 

[KathyC]

I noticed many times over the years especially when I have an exotic looking crustacean like a shrimp or crab, they disappear when they molt.
I think I figured out why.
Bristle worms. I have loads of bristle worms and for the most part I leave them alone. I think the problem is the large ones as they can get 5 or 6", some larger. You almost never see these guys and they grow quickly but I feel they actively hunt down soft bodied animals like freshly molted crabs and eat them. They have a great sense of smell and if I put a piece of clam in the dark, in a few minutes I will see them slithering out of the rocks toward it, then they will fight over it. A newly molted crab or shrimp will offer little resistance to these guys. I think we should trap the larger worms. We will never be able to eliminate al of them but if you are losing animals you may want to look into these predators.
Besides that, they are fine.

I can't agree Paul.
I have had bristle worms in all of my tanks over the years and all of those tanks have had shrimp in them. Some of the worms have been quite large and have been there through many, many molts (moltings?) of my shrimp, yet I haven't lost one shrimp to a bristle worm.

I have also never seen one eat a fish unless the fish was dead prior to the event. Then again, a fish that is laying on the bottom of the tank where a bristle worm could eat them is usually in a world of trouble to begin with
They've never chowed down on my wrasses that sleep under the sand bed or in the rocks either.

IMO they are far more a threat to my fingers than my fish, or shrimp.

 

[Arati]

 

[Paul B]

I can't agree Paul.

Thats OK Kathy, It is just a theory. I know in my tank they have always been there also and they practically run after a piece of clam, especially if I put it in the dark.
I think they may only go after smaller crustaceans. My hermit crab pair were 13 years old but they were very large. I don't seem to have a problem loseing crustaceans unless they molt.
I also know I recently had a small clam about an inch long and I had it on a rock. It fell off on the gravel and I figured I would put it back in the morning, but in the morning there was nothing left of it. I don't have any fish eating clams so I can only think of the worms. I trapped about 18 of them and some were over 5".
To get to that size, they must be eating something.
But Like I said, it is a theory.

they are far more a threat to my fingers than my fish, or shrimp

They are really annoying if you accidently pick one up.

 

[KathyC]

Yuck! I hate those things. I would near give my entire tank away, lock, stock & barrel if I knew there was a Eunicid Worm in there..those things are NASTY & will eat fish and coral and shrimp and heaven knows what else

 

[thirty6]

That picture may make me quit hobby

 

[TRIGGERMAN]

I have been saying bristle worms are bad forever and people always want to say they're good, well I have to agree with Paul as usual because they are not good. I have seen them destroy many corals from the inside out including favias and acans. If you throw any type of food in the tank they will come out and go for it especially mysis and anything meaty..why WOULDN'T they go after a big shrimp? They are scavengers just like hermits they all are opportunistic eaters. They don't discriminate against what they eat especially if you have a large amount.

 

[rookie07]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=


You have a sister?

LOL

Back to topic.

House

Not anymore

 

[Aquadicted]

holy jesus save me. How did you get him out?

 

[thirty6]

it looks like the ice cube tongs did the trick hahaah thats great, but effen creepy