Spider Webs and Ejected Feather Duster

[WickedDuc]

The pictures below show the scene in my nano tank this morning. I awoke to what appeared to be my Feather Duster having shed its mantle. After watching for awhile however it became obvious that the worm itself had left its tube to find a new home, this probably would have been fine had it not been swarmed by my nassarius snails (I didn't know they ate worms?). Anyway now to the reason for my post, in the pictures if you look at the tube for the now late feather duster you can see what look like spider webs. I have seen these in my tank since I placed the live rock. Any suggestions as to what creature might be spinning them?

The scene when I woke up, note webs on worm tube...


The resulting snail orgy (the webs are very visible here)...

[ScubaDrew]

Wow amazing pictures, I really need to work on my tank photography.

[charlesr1958]

My guess would be possibly a Terebellidae worm just mopping up the free organics available, just as the snails are doing. There may be hope yet for the feather duster as well. Having dropped its crown, it may have moved off to build another tube and may make a reappearance again in due time, unless of course you saw the actual worm itself and not just its "feather" crown.

A Hitch Hikers Guide to the Reefs

Chuck

[charlesr1958]

Sorry, I just now noticed what looks like a little pile of "gravel" on the left side of the tube, that would indicate a problem as most large Eunicid worms create such rubble tubes and may have eaten your feather duster. The spidery looking substance is most likely the mucus such worms use to cement the rubble together.

Chuck

[WickedDuc]

Thanks Drew, I get lucky sometimes with the camera!

That was the wild part, at first I thought it was just the mantle of the worm, but as snails were moving around I noticed the worm was still attached and appeared to being eaten by the snail... Crazy stuff in the tank, I love this hobby!

Thanks for the ID Chuck, so my next question... If it is a Eunicid what should my course of action be, since I also have zoa's, mushrooms and star polyps in my tank should I be worried?

[charlesr1958]

Yeah, having a large predator such as a Eunicid would worry me, I have one now that I am battling with and its a big bugger. While I have not seen it actualy eat anything, having one specific coral losing tissue as if scraped off in small patches and a colony of zoanthids being thinned out leaves me to suspect it above anything else. The only real course of action that is effective against one particular worm is to figure out which rock it is in and then remove the rock and flush out the worm by pouring an irritant into the holes of the rock. Some use seltzer water but I have found that something stronger such as vinegar makes them come out of the rock instead of just killing them while inside the rock. For me, I want a body that I can see and know without a doubt that it is gone. I have a tank make over coming up soon and doing such for my worm is already slated once I get to tearing the landscape apart, that and catching a bi-color angelfish that has taken to nipping at all corals throughout the day. No more angels for this kid!...lol

Chuck

[WickedDuc]

Can't thank you enough Chuck! Tonight while doing a red light search of the tank I spotted the culprate and sure enough Eunicid it was, probably a good three inchs long in the rock that has some mushrooms on it. After watching it for awhile it's behavoir is rather neat, it would grab rocks and "glue" them together building it's own mini reef, kind of cool. I will be removing this rock tomorrow. Do you think I can get him out without killing the mushrooms and destroying the rock? Thanks again for the help.

[charlesr1958]

Sure, just remove the rock, hold it to where the hole is on top and try to pour carefully into the hole, a little spillage will do no harm and being out of the water for a few mintues will be okay as well.

In the wild, such Eunicid worms are credited for creating new reefs also. By their bringing together rocks, they create surfaces that corals can grow on and encrust together starting the makings of a new reef patch. The larger Eunicids would surprise you as to how large of rocks they can move.

Chuck

[tbittner]

Absolutely fascinating stuff! It never ceases to amaze me how much more I learn by coming to RS and reading.

[ScubaDrew]

I have some web like stuff in my tank also. so i'll be doing some searching for these, and other critters!

Appreciate all the info guys!

Drew

[charlesr1958]

So as not to condemn innocent critters, please keep in mind that there are a good many other worms and even snails that create web like structures, most of which are harmless other than being a reproducing like mad pest...lol

But if you see this:


or this,


It might be a good time to get worried....lol

Chuck

[WickedDuc]

Just a quick update, I removed the rock that he was in and using vinegar as suggested I was able to flush him out. Unfortunately I left my camera at work but the worm must have been a good three to four inches long. The other down side is I accidently killed a baby Emerald Crab that must have also been in the rock.

[WickedDuc]

Well I have some great news, turns out Chuck, was right what I thought was my feather duster worm was actually just part of the mantle that was shed. After a couple weeks now he has regrown his mantle and looks good as new. Thanks everyone!

Back in all his (her?) glory...

[ScubaDrew]

Kick ass!

[Melanie]

Amazing!

PS I have a Eunicid that is about 8" long. He just appeared out of no where. He doesn't seem to bother anyone so I haven't pulled him from the tank. He just moves like a snake all around the rocks.