This week I noted that two colonies of zoas went closed then disolved or were eaten all gone.....me thinks Bristle worms. I have 4 traps and they do work if they are big worms and get in and can't get back out but the little critters go in....eat.....leave.
Bristle worms on night shift
- Thread starter no1bubba
- Start date
+1 great looking tank there Bubba
Looks like they are keeping your tank clean.......maybe you should not look at the tank when the lights are off and let them do their thing...as they clean the tank up their numbers should reduce.
Don't know that they are eating your Zoas...sometimes they up and melt away...unless you see them eating the Zoas of course, that would be another worry.
Dennis
Thanks, I try to keep it in the best condition I can. BUT, NO ONE has suggested what I should be doing about the feeding. I feed flakes once a day not more than they can eat in 5 min. I do put up a clip of nori for the tangs twice a week.
Thanks for the info about the zoas. I was sure the worms were to blame.
The night picture was of my blue tubbs. They are still fine, but I fear.
Thanks again for the info. Bubba
NOTE: PLEASE GO TO "YOUTUBE - BRISTLE WORM EATS WHOLE FISH." and there are other posts about BWS.
Thanks for the info about the zoas. I was sure the worms were to blame.
The night picture was of my blue tubbs. They are still fine, but I fear.
Thanks again for the info. Bubba
NOTE: PLEASE GO TO "YOUTUBE - BRISTLE WORM EATS WHOLE FISH." and there are other posts about BWS.
Taken today.
<fieldset class="gc-fieldset">
<legend> Attached files </legend>
>
class="gc-images" title="DSC01344.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:300px" /></a>
>
class="gc-images" title="DSC01345.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:300px" /></a> </fieldset>
<fieldset class="gc-fieldset">
<legend> Attached files </legend>
Before I started making my own food for the tank, I used frozen Mysis,
Cyclops & Rod's, never used any flake.
Maybe you should try changing up your food supplements.
These would have a lot more nutritional content then flake food, so it could not hurt.
Anybody else have any input????
Cyclops & Rod's, never used any flake.
Maybe you should try changing up your food supplements.
These would have a lot more nutritional content then flake food, so it could not hurt.
Anybody else have any input????
- Messages
- 1,283
- Reaction score
- 0
Beautiful tank. I would suggest cutting back feeding to every other day. I would also think about switching to a pellet food gives odd less nutrients everything looks spot on except for the bristle worms. There are things your fish can feed on in the tank the less you feed most likely the more they will hunt for food.
- Messages
- 161
- Reaction score
- 0
5 tangs in a 75?
lol.i had bad bristle worms when I first started. I got some rock and sand g from a fellow reefer. The tank was empty otherwise and hadn't been fed in a while. I put the rock in my tank and soon found out at feeding time they were bad. Therock also had aptasia. I took the rock out soaked it in vinegar, dried it and started over. I'm not a big fan. They are pretty ugly
lol.i had bad bristle worms when I first started. I got some rock and sand g from a fellow reefer. The tank was empty otherwise and hadn't been fed in a while. I put the rock in my tank and soon found out at feeding time they were bad. Therock also had aptasia. I took the rock out soaked it in vinegar, dried it and started over. I'm not a big fan. They are pretty ugly- Messages
- 1,283
- Reaction score
- 0
Have you tried a arrow crab supposidly they feed on bristle worms
Did you acutally look at the three pictures I posted in the beginning?
Better said by fellow reefer "Bagdad after dark". I have 4 traps and the only worms that stay trapped are the large ones, the smaller ones are in for lunch and back out. Bubba
What are you using for a trap? I read (a long time ago) about using a section of pantyhose - baiting it and tying the ends closed. The worms try to get the food, but their bristles get caught in the pantyhose. In the morning you remove the whole "trap" - worms and all- and dispose.
I think many of us would be surprised how little food most fish *really* need. Certain fish are an exception, but we generally overfeed a lot.
FWIW, I don't mind bristleworms (they don't hurt anything after all), but after adding a Melanaurus wrasse to my display I haven't seen one in months. Unfortunately, my Nassarius snail also ended up with the same fate though.
FWIW, I don't mind bristleworms (they don't hurt anything after all), but after adding a Melanaurus wrasse to my display I haven't seen one in months. Unfortunately, my Nassarius snail also ended up with the same fate though.
I put 4 nylon traps in the tank last night I could only find 3 this morning. When I shined a light on the tank about an hour after I set them one huge worm just latched onto the trap and pulled it between two rocks never to be seen again. The regular traps work much better but you have to be there the instant they get full or they wiggle back out. The three nylons that I took out this morning were not worth the catch....mostly little ones and they were dead and fell off the nylon as I tweezered the nylon out. Bubba
75?? Yea... You win the bioload. (And the deep pocket award) Your fish are not exactly cheap to buy and then give them away. I would leave the worms alone as they are keeping your tank clean. (that is why you have so many) You really should consider moving up to a larger tank or buying the correct fish for the tank you have. For the amount of time and money your spending to just maintain this tank you could get something bigger and enjoy it.
Guilty as charged! I like buying my fish small and watch them grow. I don't mind giving them to Smoothie because I can always go to his resturant and eat and visit my babies. He is also a good friend who has helped me for with the tank form the time I purchased it. He also has baby-sat my tank and cats while we go back home to PA for longer periods of time. Reefers are hard to find in Valdosta. My husband has suggested that we get a larger tank but I have had a spine fusion and moving from a 75 to a 110 would be an additional 11 1/2" higher and I would need a ladder just to feed. At this point I can still reach the bottom of the tank to clean with no assistance. Sorry if I have offended you with my tank issues, I joined this club to ask questions and learn. Bubba
