bristle worms goog or bad

[lou220]

ok guys always heard that bristle worms where very bad for youre reef thank ,eating your corals clams ect. going to place an order to ipsf 9 for 99 should i include the 6 baby bristle worms to my order and also considreing the mama mia worms.my tank hasbeen runing with about 350 lbs. of rock for 4 years with no worms.whats the deal?thanks lou

[twolf316]

I personally have seen what bristle worms can do. For this reason I wouldn't purchase them. They killed several clams I have had in the past. I think they kill snails too.

[DAN THE MAN]

Most bristle worms are harmless scavengers and or detrivors. A very few eat corals. Those sold in the pack you mentioned are benificial. They will only eat clams or snails if they are already dead. Better to have that which dies eaten than decaying and raising ammo. levels.

[Powrplay]

What kind of fish / hermits / crabs do you have in your tank?

[Phill]

Bristle worms have become the scapegoat for many bad things in our tanks. You probally have a better chance of wining the lottery (twice) than coming across a destructive bristle.

I have 3 clams in my tank and have never seen a bristle worm close to them. I did however witness my mutant nija hermit tip over a beutiful maxima and start picking at the bysal gland, the hermit was removed, and 2 days later the clam was dead. And the bristle worms still weren't on it.

I would worry more about the reefgoats (hermit crabs)they DO kill snails and worms.

fwiw Phill

[ 03-12-2001: Message edited by: Phill ]

[ 03-12-2001: Message edited by: Phill ]