Bristleworms galore

[Marcellina]

Ok I know there will be people telling me bristleworms are good for the tank yadda yadda yadda ...

BUT when are they TOO many? I mean I didnt spend all this money to create a saltwater paradise for bristeworms and all their friends and families!

I must have in the 100s!

I took the advice on another thread and used the bottle trick method. I think I did it right. I used a POM bottle (only plastic bottle I had) and put holes around the base - I used a philips head screw driver. then I out a raw shrimp in the bottle and filled it with tank water and sunk it to the bottom of the tank to try it out. I shut off the lights and left it for about an hour. I know it should work better at nighttime but this was just a test.

An hour later I check the bottle and there is a huge a$$ worm wrapped around the shrimp and about 6 other really small baby ones! I took the bottle out. I guess I have to toss the whole bottle out I dont know how to remove the shrimp and worms. Did I do this right?

Well I turned on the lights and saw so many big ones still peeking out so I fed the tank and took out the tank tweezers and took at deep breath and started plucking for the next 20 minutes. I got over 30 and soooo many more escaped.

Im nervous bc there are sooooo many tiny ones, maybe they were breeding thats why the water was burning my skin?

What else can I do to get the numbers down even more?

 

[DEL]

did you just say the water was burning your skin?? as in..literally burning? thats not good !!

 

[Dre]

Some Wrasses search them out and eat them through out the day.

 

[anthony27]

6 line wrass kills them with persion but you will not be able to have another wrass. Also buring your skin did you check the content of your salt how high is it. That might be a issue also check for stray vlotage was it like a stinging feeling if so then run a ground probe.

 

[Marcellina]

The burning is like a sunburn feeling, it sting even more when I was with warm or cold water afterwards and then I can dry my skin I have to air dry. It goes away after awhile but I have little bumps all over. I posted about this in another thread and I think it may be swimmers itch caused by the addition of new snails. Just wondering if bristleworm spawning could cause the same reaction.

I dont hav any other wrasses in my tank. I was thinking of adding one more fish so this could be it. Is he agressive? I was told a fairy wrasse too eats bristleworms but there are so many different kids I dont know which one. I had a coral banded but he was useless, just pretty to look at.

The salt is ok its 1.025

 

[SaltyFlip]

I have bristleworms in my tank and no problem with itch here. I think I even got a 4-5 incher in the back of my jbj 12g. Never had an itch...yet.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

The itch is a mild allergic reaction you are having to the water in your tank. It happens to me all of the time. The bristle worms are fine but if you want to get rid of them a coris wrasse will do the trick. The big ones will have to be removed manually. Try another trap just leave it in longer.

 

[nycdominicanreef]

try the same trick with a snapple bottle, and get anarrow crab, they are bristleworm killers

 

[KathyC]

The little bristle worms are a different variety (I am fairly certain), not babies. They usually have a black color on one end for that type.

The tank is too small (29G) for the wrasses suggested ...and yes, a 6-line wrasse is an extremely poor idea in there.

Arrow Crabs are also a bad idea - yes, they eat bristle worms, but they also eat hermit crabs, andything living in your sandbed, shrimp & small slow moving fish. They can grow to be 6"

 

[Marcellina]

I wouldnt want the arrow crab. I just removed my huge hermits, not too into the crabs.

I keep getting told to get a small sixline wrasse for the tank, I have put it off bc I think it might get too big? Is it agressive?

@ Chief: I am almost scared to see the bottle in the morning! Today I just did a test for an hour and caught quite a few. surprised!

I wish they had an exterminator for aquarium tanks :/

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

If you're afraid to touch the bottle with your hands wear the big coralife gloves or tie some fishing line around it and raise it out slowly and just toss it.

 

[nyfynest22]

+1 on a six line wrasse he will def get rid of them.

 

[KathyC]

Something to keep in mind, you will likely never get rid of all of them. I would keep plugging away with the bottle trick and picking them out of the tank. If you keep control over what you are feeding, the population should stay small and can continue to do their part in keeping the tank clean

6 Line wrasses are rather aggressive fish - especially to more docile fish. Once you learn to despise him, he will be difficult (at best) to get back out of the tank. IMO you'd be trading one devil for another

 

[Marcellina]

Ok Kathy you convinced me - no 6 line. You have seen my tank in person and know that it is a very peaceful tank, dont want to harass my little guys in there.

Chief I went out to buy those CoraLife gloves today. they only come in one size HUGE. I like the fishing line idea though!

Kathy I know I will never get tid of them but there are way too many big ones, when they start crawling and actually moving my corals around I know there is a problem. I just want to cut them back to a ok amount and get rid of the really big one that are really wide and long an hairy.

 

[Keith P]

Are you just tossing them? People may be interested in them if so

 

[Marcellina]

Really??? lol Anyone want some bristleworms?

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

I have a Melanarul wrasse in my 34 gallon and until recently there was also a yellow coris in there with him, plenty of room and good tempered fish.

 

[Imbarrie]

Would you recommend the melanurul wrasse if you have crushed coral or better with sand only?


Sent from my iPhone using Reefs

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

They like to sleep in a sand bed.