rossco Posted March 26, 2006 Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 I have been plagued by a bristleworm taking chunks out of my leathers overnight. Enough to make them sulk and for the small ones, die. Last night I spotted it again having a midnight feast but failed to grab the critter (with tweezers). Only the front portion comes out of the rockwork! Its probably too late to attack the big one I have now but what are your experiences of adding something like a 6-line wrasse to the tank to control the population and keep their heads down? Yup, I know bristleworms are good scavengers but I would prefer they stay in the dump not come into the kitchen... And then adding a wrasse is going to cause 'headaches' for my mandarin and cleaner shrimps??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted March 26, 2006 Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 coral banded shrimps might eat them i have read. If brislewroms are getting out of control then it could mean you have to much waste in your tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted March 26, 2006 Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 hmm joes juice or is that for something else :oops: :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossco Posted March 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 Joes Juice is for Aipstasia?? or Bristleworms as well?? Wouldn't be nice in their eyes... Bristleworms probably did have plenty to eat in early stages of tank but am working to reduce waste. Maybe to the extent its 'forcing' them on to the live stuff?? They are hard critters to catch...through glass, in water, with tweezers in the dim light of a red torch... :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted March 26, 2006 Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 Ross i can send u my worm trap to borrow??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted March 26, 2006 Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 get coral banded shrimps i think they will deal to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossco Posted March 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 Yup, coral banded shrimps are reported to deal with bristleworms but also known on occasions to open up corals/anemones for a feed. Anyone experience this? How would they get along with my cleaner shrimps?? Changing one bit of our tank always seem to upset another..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted March 26, 2006 Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 I have 2 MASSIVE coral banded shrimps. They are model citizens as far as I can figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted March 26, 2006 Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 sounds like me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted March 26, 2006 Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 On Reef Central people have had success with coral bandeds, and also bird wrasses. Apparently the bird wrasses just love ferreting around digging in the sand finding the worms. If only I had a bigger tank I'd love to have a green bird wrasse, they are certainly a pretty fish. You may also be able to lure the worm from it's hole at night with a piece of mussel or shrimp, I THINK if you are even able to just decapitate the worm, the rest will die, only the part with the head can regrow. This was discussed a while ago, I think Feelers had some info on it about which part can or can't regrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghostface Posted March 26, 2006 Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 I THINK if you are even able to just decapitate the worm, the rest will die, only the part with the head can regrow. Geez...... sounds like a woman i once knew....sounds like you may need an excorcist to get rid of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted March 26, 2006 Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 Obviously not the woman you're with now though, she's a real score! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted March 26, 2006 Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossco Posted March 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 I have a couple of 'helpful friends' in the form of cleaner shrimps that interfere whenever I put my hands in the tank. Even have to feed them a morsel to keep them happy while trying to grab the bristleworm - so trying to leave 'exposed' bait doesn't work. They were my whitespot secret weapon I even tried a cannister with holes in it with scallop/whitebait inside but to no avail. Not even nibbled. Probably take up Steve's worm trap offer, then try banded shrimp, then try shotgun... Its bad enough having some nice leathers chomped but I also have a few things in tank like anemones and elegance corals which don't need bristleworms eating their toes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted March 26, 2006 Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 would you like me to look after your PBT while all this is going on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossco Posted March 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 Paul is fine. He's in a tank all by himself looking at his own reflection most of the day. He has a few pieces of rock to talk to though... He's building up his karma... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazymranch Posted March 26, 2006 Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 Hey Rossco, DO NOT put a coral banded shrimp in with your cleaner(s) as they will fight to the death. That usually means the cleaner's death as the coral banded are heavily "armed". (I have been dying to use that joke). That was how I lost Groundskeeper Willie I. I never saw it happening because he only "hunted" at night, but my wife was in feeding our son one night and saw the whole bloody fight by cold blue (simulated) moonlight. Even given that our coral banded only had one arm/claw, it wasn't anywhere near a fair fight. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted March 27, 2006 Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 DARN well if murry gets another one i might get him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted March 27, 2006 Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 DO NOT put a coral banded shrimp in with your cleaner(s) as they will fight to the death. Tell that to my 3 cleaners and my 2 coral banded shrimp. 3 years and counting. Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted March 27, 2006 Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 yeah weird they say that i know a few people with both types Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelifaxNZ Posted March 27, 2006 Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 I bought a 6 line-wrasse in the hope it would eat the bristles and it doesn't seem to be. They come out when I have the Actinic lights on and the MH off, the wrasse just leaves them alone! I must have a very sociable wrasse as he doesn't harrass anyone and just blends in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazymranch Posted March 27, 2006 Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 DO NOT put a coral banded shrimp in with your cleaner(s) as they will fight to the death. Tell that to my 3 cleaners and my 2 coral banded shrimp. 3 years and counting. I imagine that the size of the tank and resulting number of hiding places/areas to call their own would have a fair amount to do with it, as would who was in the tank and established first. I have also been told that puffers will eat shrimp and I know a bloke who has kept both peacefully for well over a year. Go figure. There are so many factors that go into socialization of livestock that every case will be a different one. I guess my point is that it can happen and don't put a coral banded in there with a cleaner unless you are prepared to lose the cleaner(s). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted March 27, 2006 Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 Wish my worms would me some of my leathers, they grow like weeds. Why not use it as a reason to start adding more SPS/LPS corals! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghostface Posted March 27, 2006 Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 Obviously not the woman you're with now though, she's a real score! i was in LFS with her yesterday buying hardware, and she said "why dont you get the biggest one" good girl [she is available to train your partners to act like this - $50/hr] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossco Posted March 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 I think I would be far more productive putting my money on the crap tables down at the casino ! (I'm still trying to grow the weeds right first). Guess its back to the take a punt response... Funny thing fish tanks...Brianemone gave me some SPS frags which are doing really well but I can't seem to get caulastrea to thrive... A friend came around yesterday after I threw some supplement in the tank and commented how everything looked 'bigger'. Threw some more in today and a lot of tentacles are out especially the hydnophora. Might try using more of it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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