Poll: you decide fate of bristle worm

[sphelps]

Originally Posted by edmfishguy

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

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.