Massive Bristle Worm Kill   3/15/11
Hi I just spent the afternoon cleaning my 58 gallon tank and doing a ten gallon water change. I do the same cleaning every other week. However this time I also used my de filter with the gravel vac attachment to clean some algae scraps and small bristle worms ( my wife hates them!!!) from the substrate.
It has been about 1 hour since I finished my cleaning.
All OF A SUDDEN !!! the worms are coming out from everywhere and DYING!!!
Worms up to 1-2 inches and maybe 50 or more very small ones are just dead all over the place.
<Mmm, happens>
So far the fish, 2 Banggai cardinals, a royal Gramma, an ocellaris clown, and lots of mushrooms all seem fine.
<Thank goodness>
The tank has been up and running for about 2years, water changes are all done with ro water. and all tests seem fine.
temp 75, ph 8.2, salt 1.023, nitrate 0, and phos .25. I am using swimming pool de powder which I have used a few times before. I am somehow suspecting that a bit of powder got in the tank and had some adverse effect on the worms. Any Ideas??
<Likely either the DE powder (silicate) or more probable, a chemical cascade effect from the removal/death of the algae. Yes, some chemicals from these are VERY toxic, and selective (not affecting other life groups)>
Thanks in Advance
Keith
<Welcome, Bob Fenner>

Dying Fireworms - 6/11/10
I have a 150 gallon reef aquarium which until recently had a very large population of Fireworms. I chalked the abundance of worms on the fact that I feed my sun corals very regularly and the worms took care of the leftover Mysis shrimp.
<A likely scenario>
Over the last few days I have started to notice dead or near dead worms showing up. Today alone I removed 7 of them. Any ideas ?
<As to cause? What else, new have you done recently? Supplements, treatment-wise?>
Nitrates are 10, salinity 1.023, ph 8.3, calcium 425, temp 80.
<None of these is at play here... Bob Fenner>

Dead Bristleworm 5/30/07 Hi I am a new marine aquarist, <Hello> I bought some live rock that I later discovered is alive with bristleworms. <Common.> I have read that most are safe… I can't identify if what I have is safe breed so have removed the rock from the tank & have it in a salt water filled tub & have been trying to capture them with tweezers & wiggle them out of there holes - but on occasion they have torn in 2 with the latter part retracting into the hole. <Almost impossible to catch them all. Not worth the effort either.> Q: Do they regenerate a head or will they die within the rock? <Most likely die.> Q: If they die how long should I wait before I move the rock back into my tank? <I would not worry about the worms, chances of getting any that are harmful are pretty slim.> Cheers
Linda
<Chris>