Found a big bristle worm the hard way

[Ben Nicholls]

I had not seen my new psuedochromi (most likely spelled that wrong) for a couple days so I decided to check the sump and sure enough he had taken the ride. He was happily swimming around in the live rock down there. I knew I could not catch him with the rock to hide in, so a grabbed a bowl and started pulling out the sump rock. After removing a couple pieces I saw a huge bristle worm. About the diameter of your pinky, and about 7 inches long. I thought cool, I need some clean up crew in the sump. Then I went on pulling out the rock so I could catch the fish. STUPID. About three rocks later I found his friend with two of my fingers. They both now had a nice row of white "fuzz". I know I should have put on the nice rubber "reef" gloves my wife bought me a couple years ago. They were sitting right beside the sump. Tweezers did not work well, so I ended up using duct tape to pull the bristles out. (handy man's secret weapon) I know I missed a few. My fingers still feel like there are a couple in there, but they are too small to see.

Anyway, the moral of the story is don't move rocks bare handed. Lucky it was not a fire worm.

[clownfishcrazy]

Your missing the "s" in psuedochromis.

Ouch, I almost got stung a couple of times yesterday. I took out all of my rock to cook it, and since being fishless there are bristle worms everywhere.

[Clownnut]

sting? can they do that? i saw a few in my tanks i also use my hand to take them out, luckly second thought i need some clean up crew...

[clownfishcrazy]

Yes, the white bristles on them will sting you. They can also bite you.

[Loverotties]

They can be like fiberglass in your hand but worse.

[JnS]

I have never seen a bristle worm kill anything...only eat things that were already dead.
so my guess would be it died and the bristle worm was having a feast.

[Jeremiah]

Originally Posted by JnS

I have never seen a bristle worm kill anything...only eat things that were already dead.
so my guess would be "it" died and the bristle worm was having a feast.

What are you talking about Jerry? What was the "it' that died?

[Ben Nicholls]

I supose he could be talking about my fingers since that is what the worm "attacked". I think I finally got the last bristle out.

[Jeremiah]

I used to have a sponge to catch debris in my sump that would get a lot of the little bristles in it. If you grabbed it to clean it without gloves you would get little bristles from the worms in your fingers. Not real pleasent.

[JnS]

Originally Posted by Jeremiah

What are you talking about Jerry? What was the "it' that died?

man I must have missed half Ben's post, thats what happens when kids are playing with the computer while I'm try to type thought the psuedochromis died, but it took a ride.
as far as bristle worms with their bristles, they hurt like fiberglass, and you can never see where they are but you can sure feel them