bristleworms are no longer welcome.

[Bob I]

Bob, I know you will type some smart a$$ reply to this as you think the world would be a better place with out my opinions so ignore it as this is for other people that might be interested in moderen ideas/methodology not the ideas that were good in the 60's

Oh I hid a few spelling mistakes in here see how long it takes you to find them.

Wrong again, I have no problem with valid opinions, just dumb ones (my opinion of course}. The point being is that I never answer a post unless I have experience in the subject. I never answer a post just because it is there. I have no problem with spelling errors, if you have no pride in what you write, it is entirely up to you. I prefer to come across as a person with a modicum of intelligence. After 62 years on this earth that is my view FWIW . As far as the 50 is concerned, the Cleaners have always been there, and I did at one time to see Bristleworms after lights out. It is noticable that there are less worms in view in the 20 now that the little Cleaners are in there. I just like that better, as to my tastes there were too many. It really looked disgusting after lights out. That is just my taste, perhaps it was healthy. Just as an aside those little cleaners could not have eaten those big worms. I think they just scared them.

[Aquattro]

Gotta disagree with ya, Steve. My tank had tons of worms for a year before I added shrimp. Within a month I could not find a worm, day or night. I still have worm tracks in the sand, but not a single bristle worm living in or around the rocks.

[StirCrazy]

which tank Brad? it seams weird as i watch mine slice and dice worms all the time but I am at no shortage or worms.. Almost makes me wonder if you have some other "worm preditor" in your tank.

Steve

[Canadian Man]

Originally Posted by reef_raf

Gotta disagree with ya, Steve. My tank had tons of worms for a year before I added shrimp. Within a month I could not find a worm, day or night. I still have worm tracks in the sand, but not a single bristle worm living in or around the rocks.

Mee too. I used to feed and they would come out of everywhere. Now I have to search to find them.

[Troy F]

I have no cleaners in my tank this time around...because they're greedy little hogs that eat everything they can get there pincers on. Absolute pigs. I think they're detrimental to sand bed and rock fauna/infauna.

[Bob I]

Originally Posted by Troy F

I have no cleaners in my tank this time around...because they're greedy little hogs that eat everything they can get there pincers on. Absolute pigs. I think they're detrimental to sand bed and rock fauna/infauna.

I will certainly agree on the greed thing, but as to being detrimental I am not sure. Even though iI appear to have no Bristleworms in the 50, there are other worms. The difference is that these guys stay in the sandbed, and I have yet to see cleaners dig.

[Aquattro]

I agree they're detrimental. And I can't figure out why I put one in my tank knowing that. Trap building time again!!

[smokinreefer]

well i wouldnt go so far as to say they are detrimental, but i would agree that they greedy eaters.

i see where you guys are going with this though, detrimental in that they prey upon and may inhibit/control/eradicate the growth of certain microfauna. may prevent very delicate, finicky, shy feeders from feeding enough.

but, i really like the look of the skunk cleaner, and it is a very interesting creature. i will still keep them in my tanks, especially since i believe they provide a good service of cleaning larger fish.

alas, at the end of the reefing day, it's all about trade-offs.

so i choose shrimp over an increase of microfauna diversity.
its like the same decision you make if you want to keep the smaller sp. of wrasse. they too will impact the amount of critters in a tank.

on a side note, i really enjoy seeing the different fauna found in a system that has no predators like, small wrasse, shrimp and dragonettes.

neato.