Super-heating Tank to Get Rid of Baddies?

[Beverly]

I have recently set up a 72 gal to house captive bred seahorses. I was able to catch the red-eyed bad crab, but have not been able to catch the other furry light coloured ones. Plus, last night while flashlighting the tank, I noticed scores of 1/8" to 1/4" white worms all over the glass. Yikes, not only were they on the glass, but swam about as well I have no idea what these worms are, but they look like very small bristleworms, though I have NEVER heard of BWs that swim

I'm wondering if anyone has ever tried raising temps to extreme levels to get rid of unwanted hitchhikers? My heaters go up to 93 F. I would remove all the good critters from the 72 gal, which only happen to be snails at the moment, and super-heat the tank to 93 F for a 2-3 days.

Anybody ever do this? Will doing so kill the nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria, do you think? And more importantly, will it kill the BWs, crabs I haven't been able to catch, the strange worms, and aptaisia?

I realize the tank will probably have to be recycled due to the die-off, but that's not a problem, considering the benefits of having a pest-free environment for the seahorses when they arrive.

Any input on this proposed experiment would be greatly appreciated

TIA

[christyf5]

Why did you even bother buying live rock if you didn't want it live? Its much cheaper to just start off with dry rock and a bit of live sand. More controlled anyway I would think jacking your temperature up to 93 in a short period of time would kill off everything.

Good Luck!

Christy

[Beverly]

Christy, you may be right that a lot of things may die off, though hopefully not the nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria and coraline algae.

I went back in the archives to June when folks were experiencing the heat wave. Someone's tank went up to 94 I imagine his temp climb was pretty fast. He lost some corals and fish, if I remember correctly Wish I knew how his tank made out after that....

[Aquattro]

I think the whole idea is crazy!! The little white wiggly worms make great food for everything in the tank. I love seeig that kind of thing. I think you need to stop worrying about all the "proposed" baddies and enjoy reef keeping. Relax a bit!!

[EmilyB]

Originally Posted by Beverly

I have no idea what these worms are, but they look like very small bristleworms, though I have NEVER heard of BWs that swim

Bristleworms have a free-swimming stage, they are called epitokes.

[christyf5]

Well if you decide to do it, definitely add a powerhead or two or some extra aeration as the oxygen content of water decreases dramatically with increase in temperature. I would think a large part of your sandbed will probly croak though but thats just my thoughts on it.

Definitely let us know how it goes.

Christy

[Beverly]

Originally Posted by reef_raf

I think the whole idea is crazy!! The little white wiggly worms make great food for everything in the tank. I love seeig that kind of thing. I think you need to stop worrying about all the "proposed" baddies and enjoy reef keeping. Relax a bit!!

Maybe not as crazy as you might think. I'm keeping seahorses in the tank, remember. SHs are not your average fish. They are slow and can be easy prey.

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed one of our new SHs spitting out what I thought was a piece of mysis that was too big for her. D*mned if it didn't turn out to be a very small white bristleworm She convulsed for 20-30 seconds, then spent the rest of the afternoon head hung low and by herself. I thought she was a goner Luckily by feeding time, she was okay and ate something. But I've read about SHs that don't make it after a bout with a BW

In all my other tanks, BWs are welcome, but not with SHs

And I have no idea what those other white worms I found on the glass last night were. Some crawled on the glass while others swam freely, though they were the same animal. Could be a friend in a reef tank, but a killer with SHs - I don't know, and neither do you. Or do you....

I'm not that keen on taking chances with animals I pay sh*tloads of money to ship SHs here just to have them killed by something I might have been able to eradicate before their arrival.

Still would like to hear more opinions....

[Beverly]

Originally Posted by EmilyB

Bristleworms have a free-swimming stage, they are called epitokes.

Didn't know that, thanks, Em.

So they ARE bristleworms. Man, I gotta get those snails out of the 72. Don't know if I want to remove the macroalgae since the critters I need gone might be all over the stuff. Sh*t

[EmilyB]

It sounds like you only want opinions that agree with yours Beverly. Of course it's your tank.

I know several people with seahorses, perhaps Sam can comment on the need for erradicating lifeforms in order to keep them.

I do know pipefish definitely poke around in the rock and sand without detriment. Are there no bristleworms in the ocean where seahorses live

[kris]

Hey Beverly, Just a thought. Why not restart the tank, and make your own live rock. then seed it your self. not with live sand but rotivers and try to catch some pods or something... its the only way to be safe. On another note when i was into seahorses i never had a problem with bristle worms. I think if they get out of hand they might pose a problem but if kept under cointrole they are fine. at least that is my understanding.... i might be wrong though. Regardles i think the best thing is to make your own rock and seed the tank with what you want. Then you know you do not have worms of any kind.


Cheers!