BIG bristleworms

[JerseyWendy]

When I saw my first tiny bristleworm many months ago it didn't bother me much since I read that they are harmless when small.

Last night I saw 2 rather big ones, my guess would be around 6" or so when fully stretched out. This morning one of the big ones was still out, and I tried grabbing him with tweezers. GEES those things can move fast. He quickly retreated into a rock crevice/hole.

Here's my question: Should I continue and try to remove them or leave them be? Is it worth investing in a bristleworm trap? I've read some people have done the cokebottle, but what are the chanced I'll catch a peppermint shrimp or crab in that instead of the bristleworm?

Thanks so much for reading.

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Wendy

 

[albie611]

wendy , i have one about that big in my tank and i just let him be, they are great scavengers and will help keep the tank clean..
if you want to get him out try the coke bottle trap. if you catch a shrimp or crab in it just dump them back into the tank and try again in a day or two.
good luck and happy reefing .....al

 

[JerseyWendy]

Thanks so much for the quick repsonse, Albi. So I needn't worry that those big guys harm any zoos that are on the substrate?

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Wendy

 

[JRodrig692]

Love the bristleworms. Like albie said great scavengers. My refugium is loaded with them and the tank has its inhabitants, nothing compared to the refugium.

They don't cause me any issue and they do their job.

Happy hunting.

 

[albie611]

so far i have not lost any corals or polyps due to the bristle worms.
i really think they feed only on waste and whatever falls to the sand bed

hth..........al

 

[mladencovic]

It is funny to watch them gulp the formula 1 pellets or tug and pull chunk of shrimp meat across the sand to their hole.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Thanks so much - all of you. I can see it already: Tonight I'm purposely going to place a piece of "meat" in front of the rock where Mr. Bristle went to hide. Then I'll sit there with my night LEDs AND my red flashlight watching him eat it. ;D

You sure all put my mind at ease. Thanks again so much.

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Wendy