Mandarin tried to eat a bristle worm.. ouch

So, I was cleaning off a frag that had some mini bristle worms on it and a few got knocked into the tank and fell into the sand. My mandarin was hovering around the area and saw the bristle squirming around. At first I didn't think much of it, but slowly she hovered toward it, and sucked it up to my surprise but then suddenly spit it out and stretch out her mouth like constantly in and out for a good 20 minutes as if it was burning. I felt so bad but I didn't know what to do? I figured they knew that it was not healthy to eat a bristle worm, guess not. An hour or so later she appeared to be doing fine but just wondering if a bristle could really hurt a fish badly? Has anyone else had a fish try to eat one?

 

It is a possibility. I haven't but I am sure there will be some who did.

 

I have seen this a couple times with blennies and mandarins. Sometimes you can see the bristles sticking out of the fish tissue. I do not remember anyone reporting long term problems with this.

 

Week ago my Diamond goby died. I'm pretty sure the worm is one to blame. Seems like his left side of a "face" was paralyzed, he was swimming in rounds and died shortly. So I decided to Inspect "dead body" and found small <1mm dark "stripe" right next to the mouth.
My Mandarin start picking pods from SB, I'm afraid that similar thing may happen.

 

I've seen my lion pick them from the sand bed if they pop up with no real dramas... Tad different to a mandarin... But still cool to watch none the less

 

My Coral Banded Shrimp loves to eat bristle worms. I thought it would hurt but i guess not. First he catches it then starts to rip it apart into pieces that fit his mouth. I can definetly amagine a fish trying to do the same thing. I think he will be fine. I wouldn't mess with and let nature do its thing. IMO

 

My first damsel grabbed a bristle worm once. Once. LOL
Looked like he'd eaten a hot pepper for a while, but was fine after that.