Bristle worms

A couple of months back youz guyz identified a bristle worm I showed on the ID this section...I was told no big deal...throw it back in...unless you start getting too many..
Well today during my new tank stand build, I upset the tank quit a bit but it is all settled down now...but I seen a bristle worm crawling about between the rocks tonite during feeding...looked to be about 4 inches,,,In the past I have only seen them if I move a rock or something...now is this maybe because of the turbulant day...or is it maybe a population excess?
Now...question I ask is this...so what to do if you want to get rid of them...short of taking out rock and such....or is it still..no big deal.
Thanx in advance

 

They are one of the best/free clean up crews you can have. Unless it is so big you are afraid of it catching one of your fish, I would leave it. I have never had a death due to a bristle, so I do not have any bad feeling about them.

 

I have since noticed some bristle worm pieces...wondering if they have an enemy in the tank?...or they just die off?...like I said, I did shake up the tank while moving it.

 

I had heard before that they eat corals. Is this true of the bristle worm also?
I tried traps, but never succesfully. Heres what I did: Turn off all the lights right after feeding. Leave just enough light in the room for you to see what you are doing. All the bristle worms will start to come out looking for food, at which point I just grabbed them with a pair of needle nose pliers.

 

Yes, I've had them eat a very large leather coral. I freely admit my prejudices and I say get it out of there. PackLeader's method should work for one as big as yours. You probably have about 100 more little ones but when they start to get as big as your finger, it's time for

 

Yep, you can make your own trap, but I had better luck with the pliers. I think they may be cannibalistic as well, as we started with about 10, then ended up with one huge one. Not really sure, but if you plan on having a reef/coral tank, they need to be removed.

 

Do you have a peppermint shrimp? That may be keeping the population under control.

 

Bristleworms do not eat corals. If you had a worm that ate your coral(s), it most likely was a eunicid or fire worm, not a bristleworm.

 

All my corals are fine and thriving...
I got a couple pep shrimp for the aptasia...I did see the worm reaching for the fire shrimp..and he did not seem to panic..just touched it acouple of times..then went on there way....and I have not sen them in the day hours before or since the tank move.
Maybe I will do a late night re-con and just see if the little buggers come out...I'm thinking if they eat..they clean..therefore welcome to the neighborhood : )
When I upgrade to a 55...(4 more months) I will remove rock and then we will know just how big the colony is.
Thanx for all the input.
LG