looking for fish that eat bristol worms?

can anyone advise me on a reef safe fish to control my bristol worm population. i was hoping a small zebra damsel would be a cheap solution????

 

If you have too many worms, it's because you're feeding too much. Cut down on your feeding and the worm population will equalize itself.

 

Bristleworms are nutrient dependent. They will only get out of control if they have enough food/resources to do so.

What makes you think you need to get rid of them? Is it an aesthetic thing?

BW's are excellent CUC members - they tend to get to nooks and crannies that small snails and hermits can never dream of making it into - deep in the rock.

If you can stomach them - i'd leave them be - unless you have a specific need to get rid of them . . .

In either case I would not go with a damsel to control them - let the system itself control the population.

Is it a young tank?

Old tank?

Skimmer? Nutes? Water parameters?

 

The only really aggressive eater of bristle worms I know of is a Arrow crab, they love them, but they can have issues too.

I have seen some dotty backs and wrasses eat small ones, but not enough to make a dent.

The best course is to just let them die back naturally as the source of food decreases, or do not feed as much.

 

Neon Dottybacks will do a great job.

 

Dottybacks are evil little fish that can and will eat your shrimp and/or bully your other fish. Not sure I'd want to go that route

 

arrowcrabs can kill your fish also..... my mom had one that actually ate one of her smaller fish

 

hahaha, yeh. but they're still awesome imo

 

My buddy had a load of worms and he got a big eight line and now you can't see one.

Yes, he way overfeeds but he doesn't listen to me and just dumps food in. I would hate to see what his nitrates are.

 

I've seen my melanurus wrasse eat bristle worms in my tank...beautiful fish too and gets along with everyone in the tank.