Neptune Aquatics

Bristle Worms?

pixelpixi

pixelpixi

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I noticed a bristle worm in my tank today and managed to catch it. It's in a paper cup with some water right now.

I know some people feel like they're good scavengers and even add them to their tanks on purpose, but I dunno, it kind of freaks me out. What do you think? Should I freeze it or throw it back in the tank? (or does someone else want it?)

This one's 2 or 3 inches long, orange on the ends and greenish brown in the middle.
 
I have a bunch in my system and they are the best scavengers I have in there. Anytime there is a left over piece of food on the bottom, a bristle worm will be guaranteed to be on it.

They are creepy though!
 
Huh. I threw a flake in and sunk it to the bottom. The worm seems not at all interested in it, but maybe it's not meaty enough or maybe he's freaked out by being in this strange new paper cup world.
 
LOL - wait till it slithers out :D

In all honesty I don't like the big meaty ones and pluck them out with tongs if I so happen to find them. I leave the little ones alone
 
[quote author=Paradox link=topic=3974.msg47077#msg47077 date=1214345919]
I have a bunch in my system and they are the best scavengers I have in there. Anytime there is a left over piece of food on the bottom, a bristle worm will be guaranteed to be on it.

They are creepy though!
[/quote]

Coming from someone who has skulls as decorations on the canopy of his aquarium ;D
 
If you want real entertainment put a mantis shrimp in a cup on their chair. When restarted a tank back up, made the mistake of buying Tampa Bay Saltwater live rock. Very nice and live live rock, unfortunately came with lots of hitchhikers some good some bad. Caught 5 mantis shrimp and 1 pistol shrimp in a 1 month period. Stuck one in a cup and left it on the counter for a bit. Totally freaked my wife out.
 
ack! I just saw another one! I wasn't able to catch it, though.

I think I'm going to take a firm anti-bristle stance. I don't want to accidentally pick up a piece of rock and get bristlepoked on the finger. So, anyone want it? If not, it's gonna get the deep freeze.
 
[quote author=pixelpixi link=topic=3974.msg47078#msg47078 date=1214346580]
Huh. I threw a flake in and sunk it to the bottom. The worm seems not at all interested in it, but maybe it's not meaty enough or maybe he's freaked out by being in this strange new paper cup world.

[/quote]
My experience is that they are nocturnal animals, you shine light on them and they won't come out. Now if the smell of food is completely overwhelming then yeah maybe. But for the most part, nah. But once the lights go out they'll come out over every hole in your rocks.
 
If you want real entertainment put a mantis shrimp in a cup on their chair. When restarted a tank back up, made the mistake of buying Tampa Bay Saltwater live rock. Very nice and live live rock, unfortunately came with lots of hitchhikers some good some bad. Caught 5 mantis shrimp and 1 pistol shrimp in a 1 month period.
Click to expand...

Oh cool! Sounds like my kinda live rock! Free critters!!!

Maybe I can talk my wife into letting me set up that Ricordia only tank she's always wanted. ;)
 
Well.... if you are lucky to have only one then you must be a luckier person than me... usually there are others lurking to come out of the rocks at night....sooooo be careful moving stuff around
:)
 
Yesterday I scraped about 30 of those buggers off the bottom of a Trac, I was wondering why it wasn't swollen like normal (it's a biggie). When I picked it up the bottom was writhing. IME they can become a problem if the coral is on the sandbed, things like Fugias, Trachs, Chalice, if they can find a home under it they shack up. I don't see any damage from them eating the coral, I think though the bristles irritate the coral, leading to infection or tissue recession.
 
Last night I took a time lapse video. There are a TON on there. I could see 8 or 10, so there are probably 30 or 40. There's a spot on my green star polyps that isn't opening much anymore... I suspect they're irritating it. Maybe I'll try to make a trap. Hmm.
 
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