They won't bother you if you're gentle and simply pick them up, but if you're picking up a rock or something else and don't realize it's there you may apply enough pressure to get a hand full of bristles. They're like little shards of fiberglass you can barely see and difficult to remove. I use to say the same as you until it happened to me but don't worry your time will come :wink:

is this whats happenin to my bicolor blennies i hav had 2 in the last 6 months after 3 days thay are gone cant find anywhere i removed my rock to re aqua scape and i removed aleast a doxen or so over a foot long iam scared to sit on the tolet now hope they dont come back up

I dont see why everyone thinks the worm must be killed? Im sure many people would be interested in actually keeping a critter this big. I sure would.

'Kill it, its doing what nature intended!'...

:crazy:

Thanks to all who have voted so far!
As I expected; there is a few differing opinions on this issue ( i knew there would be). I'll keep gathering votes for the next few days.

Im saying its only acting naturally... why do humans have to kill everything? :frown:

If you honestly feel so much compassion for everything including a worm you're in the wrong hobby, just saying.

this is funny, I was up at 4 this morning looking at a couple of bristle worm wondering what to do with them... I actully pulled two out of my tank that were trying to get into one of my snaills shells.... I've heard mixed opions about them.... some people say pull them out.. others say they are good... I picked up my 75 gal tank second hand. when I was setting it up there was over 60 that I pulled out because I was told they were bad... So is it a good Idea to keep a few in the tank..????


I'm a :n00b:

In moderation and normal numbers bristle worms are harmless, they can become pests if the population becomes overwhelming or extremely large in size but most tanks have them and actually benefit from them. They feed on left over food and detritus but will eat a dead fish which is why they often get labeled as killers but really they are harmless scavengers like most other worms. It's a good idea to protect clams by covering their foot with a flat shell or DIY epoxy cradle if populations are noticeable.

Normally I would say just leave it if it is indeed a plain ole bristleworm (they are good in reasonable numbers), but the size of this one would scare me. I would catch it and "be rid of it", whether that involves giving it away or w.h.y. I used to be a fan of "put it in the sump", but I have found that almost everything that goes into the sump eventually just makes it back to the display. Could just be the way my sump is designed though.