I have a BB tank with marco rocks, so I know I have no bristle worms. I purchased a clump of cheato that has some bristle worms in it. Should I put them in the fuge or take them out. I know they are harmless, but want advise. I have a BB, so there is little room for them to hide/live in the DT.
to worm or not to worm
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I've rinsed cheato in FW several times with no ill effects. I wouldnt put them in there. I dont like them but thats my opinion
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I actually liked watching my bristle worms in my old tank. They never bothered anything.
They are a clean-up crew that will renew itself-the more you feed the larger it gets, the less they die off! 
Holley
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I love them but my wife hates them. I have tons of them in my 90 gallon fuge full of cheato (they love that stuff for some reason). I never see any in my DT. I think my wrasses keep them in check. I think they are good "circle of life" participants in a balanced system (i.e. you must have some bristle worm preditors or there is no cicle 
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)Love thy worms. The provide a service: to eat detritus, excess food/poop. They poop too so they don't reduce/eliminate the need to properly maintain but they can and will make short work of anything that's dead/decaying. They won't bother healthy stuff (with the exception of dwarf seahorses...saw one get eaten right off his holdfast once).
They are definitely beneficial and their population will respond to the amount of available food - so if you have "too many", you're feeding too much.
Jenn
They are definitely beneficial and their population will respond to the amount of available food - so if you have "too many", you're feeding too much.
Jenn
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Schwaggs;684586 wrote: I love them but my wife hates them. I have tons of them in my 90 gallon fuge full of cheato (they love that stuff for some reason). I never see any in my DT. I think my wrasses keep them in check. I think they are good "circle of life" participants in a balanced system (i.e. you must have some bristle worm preditors or there is no cicle
Doesn't mean they aren't there. I didn't notice that I had any til my tank was almost a year old. I hadn't added anything for 7-8 months prior, so...
seth the wine guy
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I've heard the one thing can bother is clams. Irritate them so they don't open.
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Nah. Not a concern
If you keep them and you probably know this, always wear gloves. If you catch one it will hurt, and the skin will go numb and peel off. Did me.
There are better things than bristle worms to take care of cleanup..if they contribute to much of that anyway. Not measurable.
And if you dont have any natural enemys their numbers will increase to the extent of their food supply.. I had a ton of em.
Of course you see i despise them.
There are better things than bristle worms to take care of cleanup..if they contribute to much of that anyway. Not measurable.
And if you dont have any natural enemys their numbers will increase to the extent of their food supply.. I had a ton of em.
Of course you see i despise them.
i think you should always wear gloves when doing more than just putting your hands in to move a coral, feed or what ever. if you dont, be careful as the "bristle" part doesnt come from nowhere.
i disagree that they dont have a measurable impact. they are able to get into places that no fish or larger invert like a crab or shrimp can get to. places like inside the cavities of rock and underneath them in tiny spaces. in these places where food, detritus, and good ol poo come to rest there are bristles in droves cleaning up.
and as you said they will grow to their food supply. meaning there will never be more than there should be given how much you feed. and as soon as one starves to death (because you decreased your feedings or what have you) than another one comes along to eat it before it can make a mess!
theyre gross and you shouldnt touch them, but theyre probably the best part of your cleanup crew.
i disagree that they dont have a measurable impact. they are able to get into places that no fish or larger invert like a crab or shrimp can get to. places like inside the cavities of rock and underneath them in tiny spaces. in these places where food, detritus, and good ol poo come to rest there are bristles in droves cleaning up.
and as you said they will grow to their food supply. meaning there will never be more than there should be given how much you feed. and as soon as one starves to death (because you decreased your feedings or what have you) than another one comes along to eat it before it can make a mess!
theyre gross and you shouldnt touch them, but theyre probably the best part of your cleanup crew.
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Anybody wanna give me a couple?
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