Lots of big worms!

[fchanes]

Lately I have seen lots a big worms in my tank. Some boldly come out during light time. Should I try and catch them and get them out? Or just let them be? There are quit a few. Are they harmful to the tank? Thanks.

 

[FOSELONE]

depends which worms they are...

 

[miket]

depends which worms they are...

I hate even knowing those big ones exist, after reading that guys story with the one in his rock support PVC...

- MikeT

 

[gumbii]

leave the bristle worms alone... just feed less and the population will go down... but if you have eucnid worms like in the first picture, you better break out the shot gun...

 

[fchanes]

Thanks all for the responses. They all are bristle worms. Its just that I've never seen them so bold as to come in the middle of the day. I used to only see them at night. Now they just stroll across the rocks at high noon!

 

[jessesoto33]

I was thinking of using tweezers to grab them out of the rock, but according to the reefers here their not bad.

 

[fchanes]

Yes, I can easily grab them and get them out. That was part of my question, should I leave them in?

 

[jason142]

I would leave them alone and do what gumbii said. I believe that they are benefical to the clean up crew. If it bothers you I have seen people have success of arrow crabs eating bristle worms.

 

[jessesoto33]

I heard that you can't handle them because the bristles stick in your finger, is that true?

 

[jason142]

I heard that you can't handle them because the bristles stick in your finger, is that true?

Yup, people have different reactions from mild irritation to uncomfortable pain. The bristles are basically like fiberglass.

 

[jessesoto33]

So it would be a good idea to get rid of them, What if you need to pull a LR from your tank and WHAM BATMAN, OUCH!!!

 

[jason142]

Move rocks with care and/or wear gloves. I bought some rock off a guy and didn't know that he had bristle worms and got stuck. Didn't really bother me that much, I think the pros are greater than the cons but that is just my opinion. If they start to over populate your reef than you just need to cut back on the nutrients and they will thin out.

 

[gumbii]

if you guys only knew the esact number of worms living in your tank, you will trip...


just leave they they...









and arrow crabs will get a swimming fish and start eating it alive...

like this... "OM nom nom nom nom chuey chomp chomp pachuichomp chomp"












































true story...