Bristle Worms, Bad or Good?

[pilsbury]

So I bought a 125 gallon Acrylic, stand, hood, 3 VHOs, 2 175MH, Sump, Pump, Tunze Skimmer (any thoughts on the quality of Tunze?) and I am cleaning it out and setting it up this weekend (it's all second hand, but appears in good condition). I went into my LFS to ask about a couple of new ball-valves for my returns. The conversation got around to substrate and I expressed my intention to go for the DSB style substrate, using some of the detrivore kits available. He started saying that I was stupid if I was going to intentionally introduce things like bristle worms to my tank. They would eat all the soft coral and it would be over. Can anyone clarify this? I thought bristle worms were good...I admit I am very new to this, but I feel like I am ready to setup the tank. TIA for the information... - Chris

I think worms are extremely important to a Live sand bed.I once had one of my older 55's loaded with fire worms. Even Dr ron Shimek says they are bad, but i never had anything bad happen all my corals where fine. I did however have 3 snails die on me, but i can't really blame the worms as i really did not take notice till all i seen was 3 empty shells. The 55 was up and running for 3 years loaded with all types of sand bed creatures with nothing bad hapening.Worms are a good thing for the sand bed in moderation if you have a population explosion and you feel you have a worm bed instead of a sand bed purchase a flame hawk or a arrow crab they may help keep the population done. Tunze make a fine skimmer.Your systems sounds okay to me. Just don't listen when people say one thing is good and another is bad do they research for yourself. Your reef you thank you for it....

[Doug1]

the realy nasty fireworms(Hemodice?) can be a drag if you necounter them but the run of the mill BW are fine and great scavengers. You will find that a lot of LFS are about 10 yrs behind the times and stick with what works for them. I have made it a rule that anytime I am in an LFS and the subject gets around to the internet and BB's if they tell me negative things I am out of there, but then I may be a touch biased

[Martyn]

This link below has some good infomation and links on this subject.
Click Here

HTH
Martyn.

[ 04-08-2001: Message edited by: Martyn ]

[cubera]

Great link, Martyn! I've read that article by Toonen before and couldn't remember where! Anyway, this comes up all the time and opinions are as varied as everything else in this 'hobby'. I stopped worrying about 'bristle' worms a long time ago after trying to rid a tank of them. They broke my spirit. They won! As it turns out, I won too as did that reef!