[ KB ] Bristleworms/Fireworms Friend or Foe

[Hotrod]

Bristleworms/Fireworms Friend or Foe

Donated by Cathyj on 4/14/2006


Description:
I will use Bristleworms to reference both Bristleworms and Fireworms.
Bristleworms range in size from small (about 1" long) up to very large
at about 20" in length. Most small ones are an orange color, sometime
appearing two-tone in color. Larger bristleworms are frequently gray or
brownish in color. Bristleworms are composed of many segments and have
bristles (setae) which extend from both sides of its body along its entire
length, hence their common name. These setae are clearly visible in the picture
above. Their bodies produce red blood, and many species have hemoglobin.
Bristle worms live in the sand or within the live rock, their larvae mostly
float in the plankton. They are nocturnal and not usually seen during the day.


Toxic Sting:
Bristleworms are toxic, if you discover worms in your tank that look like
wooly- caterpillars, don't touch them with your bare hands! Use a pair of
latex rubber gloves to protect yourself from a painful sting. If you do touch
bristleworms, the long, hollow and brittle setae usually break off and embed
themselves into your fingers. Once imbedded the setae cause inflammation, irritation,
itching and numbness from the toxin they contain. If you do get stung by a
bristleworm, DO NOT rub or scratch the injured area, you'll only make it worse,
and possibly spread the irritation. Use a piece of masking or duct tape to
carefully remove all the bristles you can, and then soak the affected area with
rubbing alcohol, or better yet, a dilute ammonia solution (10 parts water to 1 part
household ammonia). If available, meat tenderizer is supposed to work
exceptionally well, but I have never tried this myself.


Good or Bad?:
Originally bristleworms were all considered to be bad. Most literature warns
that they can attack and eat clams, anemones, corals and even fish.
Recently, most hobbyists have come to the conclusion that small bristle
worms pose no threat to other tank inhabitants and are in fact good scavengers
and add to the biodiversity of the tank. The worms as well as their larva also
serve as a food source for larger invertebrates and fish. You can even buy
bristleworms from some sources. Large bristleworms are starting to be better
understood also. Some large bristleworms can be aggressive predators, however,
this is not the norm. Many large bristleworms seem to fall into the harmless
scavenger category.

Notes:
Look for bristle worms at night with a flashlight to see if they are present
in your tank. Feeding the tank in the evening will sometimes cause them to come
out and feed. Capturing large bristleworms, can be difficult. They are primarily
nocturnal but will come out when you feed the tank. They should not be captured by
hand due to the toxins in their setae which can puncture the skin. One way to capture
them is to place a rock with a hollow on the bottom side onto the sand in the
evening. Put a piece of shrimp into the hollow to as bait. The next day the rock
can be removed and the worms will come out with the rock. There are also traps
available on the market. There are also some biological controls. Several species
of Wrasses, Copperbanded Butterflyfish, Banded Coral Shrimp and Arrow Crabs are all
suppose to eat bristleworms, but I doubt that they will eat the large ones which are
the only ones to possibly be concerned about. My recommendation is to leave them
alone unless you have reason to believe they are causing damage. Also be aware that
when an animal, such as a clam dies, the bristle worms will frequently feed on the
carcass as will any scavenger. Many people misunderstand that the worms are only
scavenging and falsely assume that the worms killed the clam or other specimen.