Bristle worms

[pete0151]

I've just taken a look at my tank in the dark (with nightvision on a video camera) and there where masses of bristle worms. I put the tank lights on, thinking they'd dissappear as soon as I did, but they mostly stayed out. They where squiring milky fluid (from searching around, it looks like sperm and eggs). They are orange, some bright some dark. I was able to grab quite a few with tweezers, but no where near all of them.

I have a coral banded shrip and I've previously had 2 orchid dotty backs, so I'm amazed I have such a bad problem.

I guess if the liquid was sperm and eggs, I'm heading for an even bigger outbreak than I already have.

Any advice? My plan is to try and get as many out tonight as possible. Get an arrow head crab and some more dottybacks (I liked them anyway) and then maybe set a trap.

I hope I'm not asking what's been asked a lot before - this is my first post.

Pete .

[aiko670]

Send them across the pond to me... Seriously, leave them in there. Bristle worms are great for your tank! They stir the sand bed and eat detritus...

[ReeferSD]

I have seen my Fridmani Pseudochromis chow down on bristle worms. I didn't believe it at first but she was swimming with about a 4 inch worm hanging out of its mouth. I guess my bristle worms have to keep an eye out at night, im amazed i still have pods in there with my little hunter swimming about.

[Ninong]

Hi pete0151,

I've just taken a look at my tank in the dark (with nightvision on a video camera) and there where masses of bristle worms. I put the tank lights on, thinking they'd dissappear as soon as I did, but they mostly stayed out. They where squiring milky fluid (from searching around, it looks like sperm and eggs). They are orange, some bright some dark. I was able to grab quite a few with tweezers, but no where near all of them.

I have a coral banded shrip and I've previously had 2 orchid dotty backs, so I'm amazed I have such a bad problem.

I guess if the liquid was sperm and eggs, I'm heading for an even bigger outbreak than I already have.

It is extremely unlikely that sexual reproduction by polychaetes in an average sized reef tank would be successful. The bristleworm reproduction that we see if the result of asexual reproduction by segmentation.

Any advice? My plan is to try and get as many out tonight as possible. Get an arrow head crab and some more dottybacks (I liked them anyway) and then maybe set a trap.

Most bristleworms that we come across in reef tanks are beneficial scavengers. There are exceptions, of course, but most of them are good guys. It's hard to guess what you have without detailed pictures. After all, there are approximately 8,000 different species of polychaetes, all of which share the common name bristleworm.

I wouldn't be concerned unless you are absolutely positive that you have witnessed them attacking something alive that you paid good money for.

[ReeferSD]

Ninong. The only one i see my fish eating are half blue and half pink. it looks like pink worms were dipped in blue ink a perfect half way down. cool looking worms especially to a fat happy fish. Im not sure if there are different colors of worms in the tank but Fridmani Pseudochromis loves them. Are fireworms Multicolored? I have seen Hermodice carunculata(not in my tank, whew) and thank god nothing looks like them. Any one ever dealt with fireworms?

[Ninong]

Are fireworms Multicolored?

I don't know what you mean by "fireworms?" That's a common name that can be applied to way too many different species. In fact, it's used for any bristleworms whose bristles contain venom.

I have seen Hermodice carunculata(not in my tank, whew) and thank god nothing looks like them.

These are fairly easy to identify. They're more common in tanks that use aquacultured live rock from the Gulf of Mexico.

[Samper]

Is this similar to what you have? If so they're harmless.

[pete0151]

That is exactly what they are like. Are they not fireworms? (from reading around they are the only ones I should worry about).

I videoed them so I'll post on youtube tonight (I couldn't find my still camera).

Thanks for all the advice, looks like they stay.

Pete .

[Rod Buehler]

It is extremely unlikely that sexual reproduction by polychaetes in an average sized reef tank would be successful.

Why would that be? I would think (and do think) that it is very possible for the spawns to settle out and survive in aquaria.


As others have said, most of the worms we encounter are very beneficial scavengers/detritivors.(Especially in a "natural system") The best poop eaters that money can buy. If you have them getting out of control and taking over a tank, you are likely overfeeding.

If you are after the natural approach, then trying to completely eradicate them from your system with the use of predators is a mistake IMO.

[Ninong]

It is extremely unlikely that sexual reproduction by polychaetes in an average sized reef tank would be successful.

Why would that be? I would think (and do think) that it is very possible for the spawns to settle out and survive in aquaria.

Yes, it is certainly possible but not probable in "an average sized reef tank" because the larvae are more likely to be eaten by the fish or corals or destroyed by the filtration system. At least this is how it was explained to me by Dr. Ron Shimek when I asked him this exact same question several years ago. He told me that the rapidly increasing population of Eurythoe complanata in my 120-gallon reef tank was more likely the result of asexual reproduction rather than sexual reproduction.

No doubt a dedicated hobbyist interested in breeding polychaetes in captivity via sexual reproduction can do it with the proper setup. Rob Toonen has written extensively on this topic.

[Ninong]

That is exactly what they are like. Are they not fireworms? (from reading around they are the only ones I should worry about).

It is difficult, if not impossible, to identify worms based on appearance because their appearance often varies. The confusion in the hobby is that the word "bristleworm" and the word "fireworm" are two common terms that have different meanings to different people. Some people refer to all polychaetes as bristleworms. After all, that's the translation of the Greek name: poly = many, chaetes = bristles.

Other people use the word bristleworm to refer to only those polychaetes whose bristles are really obvious. To make matters worse, some people refer to all bristleworms (the ones with really obvious bristles that can sting you if you touch them) as fireworms and others reserve that term for just a few genera, such as the notorious Caribbean fireworm, Hermodice carunculata. Fortunately, H. carunculata is fairly easy to identify, which is nice because this is one species you definitely do NOT want to keep in your reef tank.

[reefboy23]

I had a carribean flower anemone reproduce in my 55 gal. i woke up and there were pink and white baby flowers all over the place i just wish i could have witnessed it happening. I believe they actually came out of the mouth of the anemone.