Substrate dweller with thread-like tentacles

goldenmean · 07-24-2007, 08:23 PM

I have had this critter for some months now.
When he first showed up I thought he was some type of red hair algae growing out of the substrate. When I would try to remove it with my handy chop sticks (aka God of the Reef). It would disappear into the sand only to come back later. Then I tried to suck it up with the turkey baster but it would retreet furthur into the sand. It would sometimes show up in a slightly different location all within a few inches of each other. It never took off like I expected hair algae to. I strarted to suspect it was not algae at all.
I never heard anyone talk about something like this in all my hours on reef forums and places like saltcorner.com.

The number of threads has gradually increase but they always come out of the substrate from the same spot and I noticed the threads kind of moved.
If I touched it, it would retreat. (I gave up trying to catch it.) Then when feeding my tank I noticed a piece of food landed near it and the hermits were occupied elsewhere. The threads found this piece of meat and more threads went to it and they started to pull the food to the spot in the sand where the threads originate. It is not a algae but must be some type of animal!

Recently he moved to a new spot probably about 6-7 inches from his previous zone. He is now near the red open brain and does touch it but the brain does not appear to be effected at all so I dont think it stings with its tentacles. It has been by other coral frags with no harm done to them either. I did get some decents pics of him as he has gotten bigger with more tentacles.

He is just to the left of the base of the branch rock with the orange zoanthids on it on this first pic

Has anyone seen something like this before?
Or have any ideas what it is?

I think he is pretty cool and am now glad that I could not catch him when he was just a few threads. Plus he is very red!

panmanmatt · 07-24-2007, 08:35 PM

Spaghetti worm. Completely harmless and a great critter to have in your sandbed.

Dentoid · 07-24-2007, 09:27 PM

That's a pretty one!

caitrina · 07-24-2007, 09:29 PM

Yep, I have loads of them, but mine look a little more brownish red.

blue_eyes53813 · 07-24-2007, 09:46 PM

Wow , that is a cool color,,

goldenmean · 07-24-2007, 10:22 PM

Thanks everyone!
I had heard of Spaghetti worms but I thought they lived in LR not in the substrate.

lcstorc · 07-24-2007, 10:26 PM

I didn't know they came in red. Now I want one.

BrianCM · 07-27-2007, 05:29 PM

It probally was on your rock but just went on the substrate for whatever reason. Pretty cool

07-24-2007, 08:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
goldenmean Beautiful Katamari Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 4,345 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Substrate dweller with thread-like tentacles I have had this critter for some months now. When he first showed up I thought he was some type of red hair algae growing out of the substrate. When I would try to remove it with my handy chop sticks (aka God of the Reef). It would disappear into the sand only to come back later. Then I tried to suck it up with the turkey baster but it would retreet furthur into the sand. It would sometimes show up in a slightly different location all within a few inches of each other. It never took off like I expected hair algae to. I strarted to suspect it was not algae at all. I never heard anyone talk about something like this in all my hours on reef forums and places like saltcorner.com. The number of threads has gradually increase but they always come out of the substrate from the same spot and I noticed the threads kind of moved. If I touched it, it would retreat. (I gave up trying to catch it.) Then when feeding my tank I noticed a piece of food landed near it and the hermits were occupied elsewhere. The threads found this piece of meat and more threads went to it and they started to pull the food to the spot in the sand where the threads originate. It is not a algae but must be some type of animal! Recently he moved to a new spot probably about 6-7 inches from his previous zone. He is now near the red open brain and does touch it but the brain does not appear to be effected at all so I dont think it stings with its tentacles. It has been by other coral frags with no harm done to them either. I did get some decents pics of him as he has gotten bigger with more tentacles. He is just to the left of the base of the branch rock with the orange zoanthids on it on this first pic Has anyone seen something like this before? Or have any ideas what it is? I think he is pretty cool and am now glad that I could not catch him when he was just a few threads. Plus he is very red! __________________ A 55g link in the GoldenChain My 2nd QT-Picasso Clowns My 2nd-QT-Wrasse My Second Quarantine Tank 2 (+) Year Retrospective of a 12g Nano Jeff What You Think Upon Grows... Have a Smooth Day!

07-24-2007, 08:35 PM	#2 (permalink)
panmanmatt Golden Moray Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Waretown, NJ Posts: 2,042 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Substrate dweller with thread-like tentacles Spaghetti worm. Completely harmless and a great critter to have in your sandbed.

07-24-2007, 09:27 PM	#3 (permalink)
Dentoid Over Achiever Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 10,827 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Substrate dweller with thread-like tentacles That's a pretty one! __________________ Scott Dentoid's Reeforama

07-24-2007, 09:29 PM	#4 (permalink)
caitrina Golden Moray Join Date: May 2007 Location: Somewhere in Florida Posts: 2,611 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Substrate dweller with thread-like tentacles Yep, I have loads of them, but mine look a little more brownish red. __________________ A reef tank is like a potato chip, you can't have just one! Chronicles Cat's Healing Gift: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ling-gift.html Cat’s 90 Gallon Toy: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...allon-toy.html 24 G Mystery Pod: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...stery-pod.html

07-24-2007, 09:46 PM	#5 (permalink)
blue_eyes53813 Hey!Its not my fault Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Lancaster, Wisconsin Posts: 7,241 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Substrate dweller with thread-like tentacles Wow , that is a cool color,, __________________ 265 Gallon Reef built into basement wall. Lighting = 6x250 watts MH, 2x96 watt PC ,and 2x140 watt VHO for a total watt of 1,972 watts . New addition on 4-14-07 of 100 gallon sump and 100 gallon refugium. I think I have lost my mind. Gotta love this hobby Vicki Life is like a pathway of untrodden snow. Be careful how you step in it for every mark will show Definition of FRIENDSHIP: All lives touch other lives to create something new and alive My tank chronicles. http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...wall-reef.html

07-24-2007, 10:22 PM	#6 (permalink)
goldenmean Beautiful Katamari Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 4,345 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Substrate dweller with thread-like tentacles Thanks everyone! I had heard of Spaghetti worms but I thought they lived in LR not in the substrate. __________________ A 55g link in the GoldenChain My 2nd QT-Picasso Clowns My 2nd-QT-Wrasse My Second Quarantine Tank 2 (+) Year Retrospective of a 12g Nano Jeff What You Think Upon Grows... Have a Smooth Day!

07-24-2007, 10:26 PM	#7 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 21,928 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Substrate dweller with thread-like tentacles I didn't know they came in red. Now I want one. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

07-27-2007, 05:29 PM	#8 (permalink)
BrianCM Fire Coral Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bellevue,NE Posts: 77 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Substrate dweller with thread-like tentacles It probally was on your rock but just went on the substrate for whatever reason. Pretty cool

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