Bristleworms

[AutumnPine]

should i be concerned with bristleworms in my fowlr tank. I spotted 3 that I know of today when i was feeding my fish.

[leebca]

The common bristle worms are usually beneficial. There is one bristle worm that is 'poisonous' and its bristles can inject it into a human or fish. The so called fire worms.

It's generally a good idea to keep your ungloved hands out of the aquarium anyway.

Bristle worms will stir the substrate (assuming you have some) and keep it aerated so that pockets of low oxygen areas don't develop as easily. A few of the (large) carnivore fishes will hunt and eat them, along with a few other invertebrates. They will breed in the tank to numbers generally matching the foods/nutrients that are available.