Tip of the Day – 5/7/2014

Bristleworms are those aquarium hitchhikers that are generally received with mixed feelings. They are present in probably every marine aquarium out there, and hobbyists have developed strong love/hate relationships with these polychaetes. On one hand, the worms are great detritivores, gobbling up various wasted products and uneaten fish food throughout the tank. On the other hand, they can overtake an aquarium, can sting hobbyists with their characteristic bristles, and sometimes they are downright icky. More often than not, however, the negative views of these worms is misguided and typically comes from new hobbyists who just don’t know what they are. While we certainly agree that they’re numbers need to be kept in check, either by keeping detritus in the tank low or using a bristleworm predator, they serve a great purpose and will probably always be present anyways, no matter how much you kick and scream.