Bristle worms everywhere

Karma up Scott...!

 

I just re-read the posts and will use a three step solution.

1. by hand (the pvc trap didn't glue right)
2. bucket of salt water and stir it up (thanks omard)
3. in the bucket suspension to get the rest out (thanks jtReef)

I probably won't get a chance to work on it until the weekend now, but I'll post some results. Maybe a pic after I get it all cleaned up.

Thanks

 

i over dosed my tank with flatworm exit and all the worms fell out of the rocks paralized.so many worms and starfish fell out that i could barely see the sand lol.i scooped thousands out and threw all the starfish back in and then did a massive water change.i lost no corals or fish,however my local fish store told me that i took a big chance and not to ever do that again which i have'nt.my worm problem never came back.i have a few but its no longer a plague.i only did it cause the bristle worms reached plague proportions and they were attacking fish snails and basically anything and i had no choice.

 

arrow crabs and coral banded shrimp...I've heard they work on a few, but on a colony?? They might get too fat...lol

 

Come here you little worm.

We had some issues just like you are describing...I can't tell you that this was the appropriate or best solution but it proved to be fun and entertaining for me and my other half and my 4 year old thought it was fun also. Here is what we did...We moved rocks that were on top of others and finally got to the bottom rock...we left all the rocks in the tank just moved them around...pick up the bottom rock and you will see them scrambling to get into the sand we used tweezers nad plucked them out and into a cup. We did this over a course of a few days and eventually we got to all the bottom rocks and got the majority of them...We knew there were more so we bought a trap from the lfs and put it in we gathered a few more that way. We don't seem to have a problem with them but we put the trap in every now and again and occasionally capture one but for the most part we are relying on the trap because we can't tear the tank apart like that since it is now established and corals are growing! Give it a try and make it a game I did...I also used a few curse words since those things are so fast! Good Luck!

 

I understand that most folks don't like bristleworms. I can certainly understand if you have scores or hundreds that it could gross you out.
I've seen a couple of small (<1 inch) bristleworms in my tank. However, I do have one huge bristleworm:


I kind of like him. I haven't named him yet. Maybe "pisghetti" LOL

 

Last week I put a ten pound rock in fresh water and was amazed how many bristle worms came out. I would guess over 100 plus a feather duster worm that I did not know I had. I was also amazed that after a week in fresh water I still had the bristle worms sqirming and coming out, and still alive.

 

i gotta say get something that will eat them