Fireworms

[Anonymous]

I knew I had bristleworms in my tank, but after reading the different articles and postings, decided not to worry about them unless they were good sized. Well, the other night I found a BIG one lurching through my tank, actually swiming on the bottom, not just lucking at me from my live rock. He was (note the was) about 5 inces long and about a quarter inch wide. He was heading for cover and I didn't want to lose him in the live rock, so I nabbed him with my hand (I had been hand feeding my fish, so my hands were clean), and tossed him into a near by container and then fed him to the porcelin god. I didn't notice it right away, but within a few hours my fingers swelled around these small burns that looked like poision ivy. It itched like hell and after about a week went away. So, I figure they are fire worms.

Well, the point of this is that this moring when I put on my light in the tank, there were two worms crawling up the side of the glass on my tank. They were much smaller than the one I captured, but one was about a half inch away from where my clowns sleep and was heading towards them. This time I kept a bit a presence of mind and netted the worm. But now I'm worried, would my fish have been "stung" if it brushed against the worm? Was the worm trying to get to the fish or was it just a coincidence? Any ideas?

Thanks!:> )))

 

[Anonymous]

The 'bristles' on a bristleworms are hollow and filled with toxins. They are also fairly rigid and very fine...so yup, they will get you.

You shouldnt handle them directly... as you now know.

Here - read this http://www.aquarium.net/0697/0697_2.shtml

When they start getting up around 5" (Nasty looking aren't they)... thats when I start considering taking it out if the opportunity presents itself, but many do not.

Its unlikely that they were planning a sneak commando attack on your clowns. Youre safe.

hth...

-S

 

[Anonymous]

bristle worms will kill burrowing fish and attack them through thier gills, clownfish arnt in danger because they dont burrow in the rocks to sleep. Types of fish like firefish are in great danger. You can try to get a 1 1/2 inch pvc tube and cap both ends drill a hole in one cap and put a piece of shrimp in the tube that way only the worms can crawl in there put it in at night so they crawl in the hole then in the morning take it out and the worms will be trapped inside. Move it around the tank and the trap will catch most of these worms with in a few nights . HTH Ben

 

[Anonymous]

fireworms will kill and eat any clam in your tank. i lost one and friends have also. they are easy to get rid of. just take a 6" piece of clear rigid tubing and put a piece of shrimp or fish in the middle and close both ends with plastic gutter guard. lights off for about an hour and you got plenty in there. repeat until you don't get anymore. tom

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry to break your hearts, fireworms only prey on gorgonians, and the chances you have one are slim to none. NOw bristle worms are more common. Do they kill things? No, there is one that preys on snails by secreting a mucus trap that smothers the snails. Any that prey on clams or fish? none, or ultra rare, they have no teeth! They will eat dead things, like dead clams, I emailed Knop on this, he's probably the most trusted name in Clam keeping, he agree's. Big bristleworms are only a risk to detrius, you dont like detrius do you guys? I had a 15" bristleworm in a 10g tank with corals & fish for a year, no problems, he's in my 100g now, see him from time to time, he eats macro algae, and keeps the sand clean. Anti bristleworm propiganda is in older books, check the reefkeepers reeflist, or any of the experts, sprung would be your best bet if you dont believe me. L8r mega

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[Anonymous]

very possible what i'm calling a fire worm is not. it was fire engine red and when i took the clam out of the tank it fell out of the clam onto the kitchen floor. what classification it is i could be wrong, but a hole though the back of the clam and it was inside.

 

[Anonymous]

someone is misinformed about fireworms because i just did a search on yahoo and everything i've read says they will eat corals if nothing else is available. makes sense. if you were hungry wouldn't you eat what was available if it came down to starvation. maybe some candy coral!

 

[Anonymous]

Mega is correct. If bristleworms are starving then probably the whole tank is.