WHAT....is this tentacled oddity??!!

[brikeibur]

Ok, so I noticed one of our hermit crabs grabbing at something the other day. I began watching closely and it almost seemed like a worm, but upon further inspection, it seems to be a long thin tentacle coming from a small whitish blob that was under a rock. I managed to get some photos of it, but of course it was in a crevice and is tiny, so it is hard to see. I noticed that it has at least two tentacles, I saw them both out at one point, but I have no clue if there is only two or if there could be more.

I also noticed that this 'critter' was way under the rock in the crevice and later on when I looked it had moved up, more into the open of the little crevice...so it is a mobile critter of some sort.

Sorry for the 'not so great' pics, but perhaps someone can give me a clue of what this thing is:

..and here is one I tried to get of it with the flash on:

Any insight into this is GREATLY appreciated...thanks guys!!!

 

[George81]

maybe a spaghetti worm?

 

[Wakeskater02]

Ok, so I noticed one of our hermit crabs grabbing at something the other day. I began watching closely and it almost seemed like a worm, but upon further inspection, it seems to be a long thin tentacle coming from a small whitish blob that was under a rock. I managed to get some photos of it, but of course it was in a crevice and is tiny, so it is hard to see. I noticed that it has at least two tentacles, I saw them both out at one point, but I have no clue if there is only two or if there could be more.

I also noticed that this 'critter' was way under the rock in the crevice and later on when I looked it had moved up, more into the open of the little crevice...so it is a mobile critter of some sort.

Sorry for the 'not so great' pics, but perhaps someone can give me a clue of what this thing is:

..and here is one I tried to get of it with the flash on:

Any insight into this is GREATLY appreciated...thanks guys!!!

I am not sure what the name of it is. However, more than likely it is either 1. a type of worm that cruises through the rock, or 2. it is a feeding tentacle and if it is a feeding tentacle they have heavy nemocysts and will sting your corals!

 

[Jess]

I agree, spaghetti worm. My tank has a couple, I don't think they're a problem...
*edit* Then again, I've never researched them much, I just don't think they are doing any bad in my tank...

 

[thearnley]

+1 for spaghetti worm (I think) I've got gobs of them - they never harm anything and they're next to my SPS, LPS and softies and in the sand bed.

 

[Jess]

Arnley, I'm sure glad I didn't see your avatar right before going to bed... that is total nightmare material! Barf! But hilarious.

 

[brikeibur]

Spaghetti worm huh....well that doesn't sound as bad as the feeding 'tentacle' possibility I heard...

I hope it's only a worm anyway because it is right underneath my button polyps and yellow polyps....I would hate it if it ended up killing them....

....man that would suck....

 

[Boomer]

Nope, the is a Chaetopterid tube worm , Chaetopteridae

 

[lowfi]

Good call Boomer, that sure looks like youve nailed it. For the others, spaghettti worms are completely harmless as they are deposit feeders.

 

[Boomer]

This is harmless also.

 

[brikeibur]

Thanks so much Boomer!!

I was just noticing this weekend also, that they were 'building' a tube or whatever for themselves...

They reach down and grab sand and pull it back up into the tube and some sticks..and some falls back down. It eventually forms this 'tube' that they go in and out of.

That is exactly what they look like in your pics. Soooo glad to hear they are harmless!!

Thanks so much for the info!!!!

:biker

 

[Boomer]

You bet biker