Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board - Caught a bristle worm

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- - Caught a bristle worm (http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=102318)

Like sands through an hour glass............

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanguinesDream (Post 858609)

Do you want to know a great thing about this world? It is filled either least a billion parents and each of them, with their own parenting styles and all shades of playing in each others' tanks. :grouphug:

Now those Bristleworms???? Dems some nasty critters and, in my humble opinion, have a nasty sting to them. What is the best treatment for their stings again?

I've read many different treatments but the consistent themes are around using tape or some other adhesive to remove as many of the barbs as possible and then some suggest applying ammonia, others alcohol, and others just heat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kien (Post 858610)

If you are concerned about the bristle worms then you should go after the rest of them. If your girls are prone to mischief and will handle live rock then it is definitely a valid concern if you don't want your girls getting bristles in their fingers. There are guaranteed to be more in your rock work. You should take your rocks out and nuke them. Either dry them out on your deck or give them a vinegar bath to be sure to nuke all the bristle worms.

I already ordered some traps. I'm going to bait them and see if I get any more. I know it's almost a certainty that there are more but I'll verify that before getting drastic. She's also got her own tank that she helps take care of etc. that I'll investigate.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magickiwi (Post 858601)

So as a parent of four girls you can't imagine any scenario where they would reach into the tank without your knowledge or permission? Do you keep the top bolted on? You never do tank maintenance with them around? Do you have any rock in your sump? Is that within reach? When they were 2 did they understand and hear everything you told them and subsequently never did anything ill-advised? Did you keep your poisonous cleaners like drain cleaner, etc. up out of reach with the cap on despite you telling them not to touch it?

It was a stupid question and a smart-a** comment to boot. No I do not LET her play in the tank but it's my job to think of things that could happen and prevent them. You do your parenting, I'll take care of mine.

k please don't take offence, but children do what you allow them to do, yes you can do everything in your power to prevent things happening but then your teaching them wrong from right very off course, children need to learn repeatedly that no is no, no tolerance for it, or they will do it and they will persist with other mischief as well, having everything child proofed to the tits isn't good either still teaching them that they wont learn for themselves i agree with brad on that note, i mean of course do your best to protect them, but to the point where they are sissies and turn to you later down the road for approval on a problem they somehow were unable to solve themselves due to being over protected or not disciplined.... just sayn'......

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magickiwi (Post 858618)

My daughter has her own tank too and this past weekend, just rearranged her rock work and frags, and I totally forgot about the bristleworms.:doh:

Luckily, she didn't get stung but now I feel like a neglectful arse because I didn't even think about that. I don't take precautions when working with my tank and am probably not setting a very good example of precautionary measures.

Thanks for the reminder. :wink:

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanguinesDream (Post 858636)

I never intended to make you feel like that so I apologize. It's something I try to stay aware of but clearly others feel there's no need to so the truth is likely somewhere between.

It's amazing what can hide in your aquarium, sometimes in plain sight. I bought a mille colony at a LFS and even though I was able to peer right into the colony I somehow missed the two commensal crabs living there. I didn't even know they were there until one croaked and was being lugged around by a hermit.

Fortunately my display tank is too high for kids to get into and the tanks in the bottom if my nieces get into them so be it but all so far understand not to play in them but kids will be kids and the water is easy enough to clean up

As to bristle worms I did the nylon sock traps several times took 74 of the lil bastards out but unfortunately unless I nuke the rocks I have them for as long as I don't get tired of the rock formations

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanguinesDream (Post 858609)

What is the best treatment for their stings again?

Soak infested parts in vinegar. The bristles disolve. Anyone of you guys heard of palytoxin poison? Go ahead and continue playing in your tanks. Those that constantly do are the ones that never have a decent tank and are constantly fighting with water parameters. :lol:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madreefer (Post 858762)

+1. My fishes think my hand is food so I don't like my hand in there.

To the OP, I can understand your concern but there's so little you can do :( Bristles are something that will appear somehow in any matured tank. Your best bet would be to teach your kids never to play with the rocks. But then again, Murphy is funny, you can be careful but you can't be too careful. Trap won't help take out all.....