Bristleworm Killing...?

[laura-jean]

I found a bristleworm (tiny in width, but I believe he's probably about a foot long) in my FOWLR tank.

I saw him creeping out when I put some mysis in the tank, so I grabbed the rock he was in and put it in a bucket of freshwater.

Will this kill him?

The tank will be for a pair of H. erectus seahorses, so I just didn't want to take the chance that he would hurt them. It's been cycling for about two months so I don't really care if I kill this one piece of rock, it's not that big anyway.

Let me know your thoughts, as I've read a couple of different views on bristleworms.

 

[yote]

Bristle worms are THE best detritus feeders you can get.They'll eat any and all waste in the tank.They wont touch anything that is healthy.
Thats why fish bodies disappear so quick in our tank.When something dies,the bristles will have it ate before it can start to break down and spike ammonia.

 

[laura-jean]

It won't wrap around or climb on to a sleeping seahorse?

 

[motorcyclereefer]

They only attack something if it is dead.

 

[Bifferwine]

I don't think it would attack a seahorse. They're not that evil. ;)

 

[laura-jean]

Thanks guys! I'll put the rock back in. If he's dead, whatever....there might be more. And those can stay. :P

 

[Bifferwine]

Oh there will be more. Don't you worry about that!

 

[little_fish]

The problem with bristle worms is that if the seahorse accidently touches it it will sting them, which can stress them out and i have read that the site of sting can become infected. But if you have one, you probably have a bunch already, so i dont think taking out that one rock will do much.

 

[ccCapt]

I saw him creeping out when I put some mysis in the tank, so I grabbed the rock he was in and put it in a bucket of freshwater.

Will this kill him?

Yep. The bristleworm is now dead and so is the live rock.

 

[SeattleDarko]

I was starting to get millions I cut back on my food for a few weeks. A lot of lil ones died, overfeeding your tank will make things worse.

 

[Sharkie]

actually idk if it will kill it lol. i've put bristles in freshwater and left them there for DAYS and the STILL move and creep around O_O

but i've become used to the idea of bristles being good.. in fact, I believe they may be the reason I can't find the body of my blue damsel :(

 

[vonjankmon]

I have a number of large bristle worms hanging around in my tank and I have a pair of erectus seahorses, a firefish, and a black sailfin blenny. Everyone is happy and uneaten.

 

[dcantucson]

The worse things about Bristle Worms is that the can sting the heck out of you if you touch them and they are kinda creepy.

 

[yote]

In one night,I counted somewhere between 150 to 160 bristle worms in my tank.Never see em unless I'm looking for em though ane they never bother anything except my fingers when I decide I need to move a rock for some reason.