Yet another Bristle worm inquiry

Over the past year, since I've noticed a bristle or two in my tank, I've been cruising the threads that mention them. It seems to me that alot of people are mostly afraid of them in their tank b/c they dont want to take a chance. I was wondering if anyone actually had anything bad happen to livestock b/c of them, specifically anemones or fish. I've found them to be a good clean up crew and they probably helped take care of a fish that died and I couldn't get to (some time ago).

My bristle worm pop. seems to have exploded although I dont really see how this is possible since I haven't had fish in there for almost two months now,so I only feed the shrimp and occasionally the anemone. But as I dont really know anything about how they multiply, I can't explain it. Their numbers bother me though; i've read that they mostly come out at night but i see them out in the day time quite frequently.

So my second question; i read about using panty hose and baiting it with food to trap them (they go through the hose to get the food and cant get out, so the premise goes). Has anyone used this and does it work? It sounds appealing just for the simplicity of it

 

If you've got an overpopulation, it's because they've got too much to eat. How much/how often are you feeding your shrimp and what are you feeding it/them?

Also, when you say you've got a population explosion, exactly how many worms are you talking about?

 

well i saw about 6 worms on one area of rock and several on my other two pieces, perhaps explosion was an over statement. I only say "explosion" b/c its quite a few more than the typical two I would see at a time a few months ago. Plus the fact that they are out in the day leads me to believe that there are more than previously thought, or they are desperate for food. I only feed the shrimp a few pellets every other day, probaby less than that. The anemone i feed once a week oronce every two weeks. Perhaps it is the same population that has always been but they are coming out, even in the day, to look for food? It is hard to count the damn things, so its hard to give precise answers.

I guess another question would be how many worms are too many?

 

You know that is a problem I never worried about most of what you hear about the worms is simply reading repeaters with a goggle tool bar I have never had any issues with them as Amcarri mentioned the amount of food dictates their numbers like lemmings lots of food lots of lemming lack of food its survival of the fittest. Now Fire worms are a different story . The worm is actually providing a good service at night I can look up under my tank and see plenty of them in their tunnels waiting for lights out ..

 

6+ worms doesn't sound like a population explosion so I wouldn't worry about it too much

 

thanks, you guys made me feel a little better! Guess i was just over exaggerating, it just seemed like alot more...more probable since not much food is going in. I'm actually getting a type of dottyback today thats supposed to eat them. I'm hoping that this will control any population concerns i might have, but still allow a few to remain and do some clean up.

 

I use to have a ton of bristleworm in my tank. I caught my sixline attacking one the other day. I guess they eat these things. Who knew.?..

 

certin fish do eat worms but don't know which ones. but I have probably a couple hundred in my 36 with my maroon clown and anemone, in my larger tank I don't see as many and I think but am not 100% that my dimond goby is eating them. But tang is right don't sweat them.

 

cant you just grab them out

 

No the bristles will end up in your hand. Ouch!