What in the world is this?!

RussC · 12/14/2017, 08:31 AM

I first noticed the tunnels on my rock about two days ago. They looked to be made of substrate. Kind of like you see if a mole or something moves under the dirt, but these were on top of the rock and white. Then this morning there are long worms extending from those burrows! The worms look like about 6 lb monofilament fishing line. Check out the pictures. I drew an arrow pointing to the worms and the burrows as well as a line showing you how far the worms extend up the rock from where they burrows start. They were at least 8" away from the burrow. What in the world are these things? This is a new one on me.

Rover88 · 12/14/2017, 08:43 AM

A google image search with 'tube worm' as my header (because lets be real, its a tube with a worm coming out of it) came back with a lot of things that don't look like what you showed, but one that does is pictures of 'vermetid worms' or sometimes called snails.

I don't know what they are, but you tell me if this is what you see when you google it!

Also looks like it might be called a 'thread worm'.

RussC · 12/14/2017, 09:02 AM

This is a very good picture of the same thing. This worm even built the tube out of the same type substrate I have. Looks like this is it. Now I just need to ID it.

mcgyvr · 12/14/2017, 09:05 AM

Did you forget to bookmark this?
https://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhikers-guide/

Thats a very common and harmless/beneficial Spionid worm..

RussC · 12/14/2017, 09:17 AM

McG, one day I'm gonna stump you with one of my questions! Besides, what's an old veteran like you doing up this early?

Thanks for that website. I did not have that.

RussC · 12/14/2017, 09:29 AM

One thing I read said Spionid worms have two, short tentacles, less than 3" Is that accurate? Because these bad boys have worm like tentacles at least 6-8". There were at least two, but I'd need to count to be sure how many I saw. I guess they could grow just like anything else.

RussC · 12/14/2017, 09:34 AM

And the tubes of these worms runs along the rock on the top and bottom for several inches. It does not protrude vertically away from the rock.

nfrench2100 · 12/14/2017, 09:42 AM

I have about 20 of these in my 30. Most of them have 2 tentacles I’ve noticed that come out pretty far. At least 8 inches or so. They’re cool as heck to watch

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Monkeyfish · 12/14/2017, 09:44 AM

Vermetid. Harmless detrivore.

RussC · 12/14/2017, 09:52 AM

[QUOTE=nfrench2100;25302967]I have about 20 of these in my 30. Most of them have 2 tentacles I’ve noticed that come out pretty far. At least 8 inches or so. They’re cool as heck to watch

They don't seem to irritate anything in your tank?

mcgyvr · 12/14/2017, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monkeyfish

Vermetid. Harmless detrivore.

A vermetid snail is a different type of creature..

mcgyvr · 12/14/2017, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RussC

McG, one day I'm gonna stump you with one of my questions! Besides, what's an old veteran like you doing up this early?
.

Bring it on.. I welcome the challenge..
And since you asked... I get up around 6AM EST every day and hit up this site while on the toilet doing my morning business

Monkeyfish · 12/14/2017, 11:43 AM

Based on the picture (from what I can see on my phone

)

If the tube is hard - vermetid
If the tube is soft - polychaete

RussC · 12/14/2017, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

Bring it on.. I welcome the challenge..
And since you asked... I get up around 6AM EST every day and hit up this site while on the toilet doing my morning business

OMG. That image is burning my mind! So glad I'm all up in your morning business.

RussC · 12/15/2017, 08:34 AM

McG, don't let me interrupt your meeting with a man about a dog this morning...

Last night my critter was busy. If I didn't know any better, this thing is intentionally building a tunnel-bridge to the neighboring rock. The tunnel increased a good half inch.

The blue arrows are the length of the tunnel over the last three days. The red arrows indicate just last night's construction. I did only see two 'worms' coming out of this tunnel. They are quick to retreat once we start turning on lights in the house.

mcgyvr · 12/15/2017, 08:57 AM

Yep.. Thats basically what they do..
I've had tons of them in every tank I've ever had..

TokiHacker · 12/15/2017, 12:21 PM

It's SUPERMAN!

Betaktical · 12/15/2017, 07:05 PM

Not vermetid. Spaghetti worm more likely. I have a million of them and they are actually pretty cool to watch. They don't sting or harm anything and are a sign of a healthy functioning tank. I have one that extends about 8" when he really wants food.

nfrench2100 · 12/15/2017, 09:57 PM

[QUOTE=RussC;25302977]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nfrench2100

I have about 20 of these in my 30. Most of them have 2 tentacles I’ve noticed that come out pretty far. At least 8 inches or so. They’re cool as heck to watch

They don't seem to irritate anything in your tank?

Nope. And they’re literally next to just about every coral in there. Every coral is fully extended usually

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Xxero · 12/16/2017, 04:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

I get up around 6AM EST every day and hit up this site while on the toilet doing my morning business

RussC · 12/16/2017, 01:52 PM

Quick update on this worm. This thing builds a tunnel faster than Walmart builds a store. And now I've got a limp Kenya. No, this isn't a personal problem. But I've definitely got my eye on this, now, infamous worm. Its too coincidental. When all this got started, I first noticed the Kenya had a withdrawn branch, then I notice the unusual tunnel, then I see the worm, then said worm digs a tunnel that puts some of those under the US/Mexico border to shame, and now I've got a limp Kenya. The first branch that looked irritated never really recovered. But the tree was fine yesterday. However, I did a water change yesterday. So after all this, the Kenya could just be just mad. Who the heck knows. Still, this is one busy worm. And this whole thing has my attention.

homer1475 · 12/16/2017, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

Bring it on.. I welcome the challenge..
And since you asked... I get up around 6AM EST every day and hit up this site while on the toilet doing my morning business

ROFLMAO

I thought I was the only one that does that! Just make sure to wash your KB when your done.

mcgyvr · 12/17/2017, 07:58 AM

The Kenya is just mad/doing what they do Russ.. The spionid worm is not causing it trouble..

mcgyvr · 12/17/2017, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Betaktical

Not vermetid. Spaghetti worm more likely. I have a million of them and they are actually pretty cool to watch. They don't sting or harm anything and are a sign of a healthy functioning tank. I have one that extends about 8" when he really wants food.

Its a spionid worm..

RussC · 12/17/2017, 11:15 AM

But I'm such a harmless, loveable little fuzz ball!

McG, I so wish you had the APEX. Trying to calibrate a salinity probe. Gone crazy...be back in a minute.

12/14/2017, 09:05 AM	#4
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Did you forget to bookmark this? https://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhikers-guide/ Thats a very common and harmless/beneficial Spionid worm.. __________________ Who me?

12/14/2017, 09:17 AM	#5
RussC Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Gulfport (Mississippi Gulf Coast) Posts: 1,405	McG, one day I'm gonna stump you with one of my questions! Besides, what's an old veteran like you doing up this early? Thanks for that website. I did not have that. __________________ When a habit begins to cost money, it's called a hobby! Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer XL 425 Alive and Kick'n BOD 8-29-17

12/14/2017, 09:29 AM	#6
RussC Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Gulfport (Mississippi Gulf Coast) Posts: 1,405	One thing I read said Spionid worms have two, short tentacles, less than 3" Is that accurate? Because these bad boys have worm like tentacles at least 6-8". There were at least two, but I'd need to count to be sure how many I saw. I guess they could grow just like anything else. __________________ When a habit begins to cost money, it's called a hobby! Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer XL 425 Alive and Kick'n BOD 8-29-17

12/14/2017, 09:34 AM	#7
RussC Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Gulfport (Mississippi Gulf Coast) Posts: 1,405	And the tubes of these worms runs along the rock on the top and bottom for several inches. It does not protrude vertically away from the rock. __________________ When a habit begins to cost money, it's called a hobby! Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer XL 425 Alive and Kick'n BOD 8-29-17

12/14/2017, 09:42 AM	#8
nfrench2100 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Posts: 131	I have about 20 of these in my 30. Most of them have 2 tentacles I’ve noticed that come out pretty far. At least 8 inches or so. They’re cool as heck to watch Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ 30Gallon Marineland Half-Moon Rimless Saltwater (Started cycling 9-1-17) Currently 25lbs Liverock. 40lbs CaribSea Fiji Pink Aragonite. ReefOctopus BH100F Skimmer

12/14/2017, 08:43 AM	#2
Rover88 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 590	A google image search with 'tube worm' as my header (because lets be real, its a tube with a worm coming out of it) came back with a lot of things that don't look like what you showed, but one that does is pictures of 'vermetid worms' or sometimes called snails. I don't know what they are, but you tell me if this is what you see when you google it! Also looks like it might be called a 'thread worm'.

12/14/2017, 09:44 AM	#9
Monkeyfish Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Long Island (NY) Posts: 4,077	Vermetid. Harmless detrivore. __________________ Eric "One thing that humbles me deeply is to see that human genius has its limits while human stupidity does not." Current Tank Info: Taking a break

12/14/2017, 09:52 AM	#10
RussC Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Gulfport (Mississippi Gulf Coast) Posts: 1,405	[QUOTE=nfrench2100;25302967]I have about 20 of these in my 30. Most of them have 2 tentacles I’ve noticed that come out pretty far. At least 8 inches or so. They’re cool as heck to watch They don't seem to irritate anything in your tank? __________________ When a habit begins to cost money, it's called a hobby! Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer XL 425 Alive and Kick'n BOD 8-29-17

12/14/2017, 11:43 AM	#13
Monkeyfish Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Long Island (NY) Posts: 4,077	Based on the picture (from what I can see on my phone ) If the tube is hard - vermetid If the tube is soft - polychaete __________________ Eric "One thing that humbles me deeply is to see that human genius has its limits while human stupidity does not." Current Tank Info: Taking a break

12/15/2017, 08:57 AM	#16
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Yep.. Thats basically what they do.. I've had tons of them in every tank I've ever had.. __________________ Who me?

12/15/2017, 12:21 PM	#17
TokiHacker Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Mobile, Alabama Posts: 549	It's SUPERMAN! __________________ 200 GAL Mixed Reef Build \| 20GAL JBJ Frag Tank \| 29GAL Chiragra Mantis Shrimp Tank

12/15/2017, 07:05 PM	#18
Betaktical Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 363	Not vermetid. Spaghetti worm more likely. I have a million of them and they are actually pretty cool to watch. They don't sting or harm anything and are a sign of a healthy functioning tank. I have one that extends about 8" when he really wants food.

12/16/2017, 01:52 PM	#21
RussC Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Gulfport (Mississippi Gulf Coast) Posts: 1,405	Quick update on this worm. This thing builds a tunnel faster than Walmart builds a store. And now I've got a limp Kenya. No, this isn't a personal problem. But I've definitely got my eye on this, now, infamous worm. Its too coincidental. When all this got started, I first noticed the Kenya had a withdrawn branch, then I notice the unusual tunnel, then I see the worm, then said worm digs a tunnel that puts some of those under the US/Mexico border to shame, and now I've got a limp Kenya. The first branch that looked irritated never really recovered. But the tree was fine yesterday. However, I did a water change yesterday. So after all this, the Kenya could just be just mad. Who the heck knows. Still, this is one busy worm. And this whole thing has my attention. __________________ When a habit begins to cost money, it's called a hobby! Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer XL 425 Alive and Kick'n BOD 8-29-17

12/17/2017, 07:58 AM	#23
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	The Kenya is just mad/doing what they do Russ.. The spionid worm is not causing it trouble.. __________________ Who me?

12/17/2017, 11:15 AM	#25
RussC Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Gulfport (Mississippi Gulf Coast) Posts: 1,405	But I'm such a harmless, loveable little fuzz ball! McG, I so wish you had the APEX. Trying to calibrate a salinity probe. Gone crazy...be back in a minute. __________________ When a habit begins to cost money, it's called a hobby! Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer XL 425 Alive and Kick'n BOD 8-29-17