Critter ID - Sorry, no pic

Dazed And Confused · 07/12/2007, 09:49 PM

I have a tiny critter living in the live rock in my 75 gallon refugium. The fuge has a DSB, about 6" of Southdown sand and 80lbs or so of liverock. I have some sort of tiny critter that lives in one of the rocks, about 4" above the top of the sand. This guy sends tiny hairlike things down to the sand and actually lifts the sand up into the rock. It's the craziest thing - the sand actually looks like it's sliding up these hairlike lines like a tiny ski lift. I don't have a camera that I can get a good enough pic since these appendages aren't much bigger than a human hair. I've never seen the critter, just these wierd sand lifter things. By the way, I seeded the fuge with some livesand from Bill's Reef a couple of years ago and would recommend it highly to anyone, it was chock-full of life and I know it's contributed to the health of the fuge and tank.
Any ideas what these little guys are?

greenbean36191 · 07/13/2007, 05:44 AM

Probably a cirratulid, aka hair worm.

Dazed And Confused · 07/13/2007, 06:24 AM

I've seen a bunch of what I think are the same thing living in the sandbed. They'll extend a pair of these tiny hairs and use them to raise grains of sand into the water column to release 'em, sort of like what ants do when they dig their holes. I assume they're healthy for the sandbed since they actually cause water movement thru the bed.
I assume they're harmless/beneficial? (I'll do a search).
Thanks for the help!

07/12/2007, 09:49 PM	#1
Dazed And Confused Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Lubbock, TX, USA Posts: 262	Critter ID - Sorry, no pic I have a tiny critter living in the live rock in my 75 gallon refugium. The fuge has a DSB, about 6" of Southdown sand and 80lbs or so of liverock. I have some sort of tiny critter that lives in one of the rocks, about 4" above the top of the sand. This guy sends tiny hairlike things down to the sand and actually lifts the sand up into the rock. It's the craziest thing - the sand actually looks like it's sliding up these hairlike lines like a tiny ski lift. I don't have a camera that I can get a good enough pic since these appendages aren't much bigger than a human hair. I've never seen the critter, just these wierd sand lifter things. By the way, I seeded the fuge with some livesand from Bill's Reef a couple of years ago and would recommend it highly to anyone, it was chock-full of life and I know it's contributed to the health of the fuge and tank. Any ideas what these little guys are? __________________ Life is much like a saltwater tank - diversity and variety are two of the keys to success. You grow and learn very little when the company you keep thinks and reasons the same way you do. Current Tank Info: 140 gallon reef tank, 75 gallon DSB fuge; Kole tang, pair of clowns, canary wrasse, flame hawk, red spotted sand perch, red and purple firefish, spotted mandarin, coral beauty and a yellow watchman goby

07/13/2007, 05:44 AM	#2
greenbean36191 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Ft. Lauderdale Posts: 10,598	Probably a cirratulid, aka hair worm. __________________ Some say the sun rises in the East. Some say it rises in the West. The truth must be somewhere in the middle. Current Tank Info: tore them down to move and haven't had the time or money to set them back up

07/13/2007, 06:24 AM	#3
Dazed And Confused Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Lubbock, TX, USA Posts: 262	I've seen a bunch of what I think are the same thing living in the sandbed. They'll extend a pair of these tiny hairs and use them to raise grains of sand into the water column to release 'em, sort of like what ants do when they dig their holes. I assume they're healthy for the sandbed since they actually cause water movement thru the bed. I assume they're harmless/beneficial? (I'll do a search). Thanks for the help! __________________ Life is much like a saltwater tank - diversity and variety are two of the keys to success. You grow and learn very little when the company you keep thinks and reasons the same way you do. Current Tank Info: 140 gallon reef tank, 75 gallon DSB fuge; Kole tang, pair of clowns, canary wrasse, flame hawk, red spotted sand perch, red and purple firefish, spotted mandarin, coral beauty and a yellow watchman goby