ID: weird alien UFO lookin sand thing with tentacles

mleinart · 08/16/2009, 01:32 PM

As the subject might suggest, I'm having trouble finding words to describe it. I managed to get some halfway decent pictures:

It seems to be in some kind of shell under the sand that it erupts out of. If disturbed, it very quickly contracts and buries itself. I gave it a decent pile of mysis and it grabbed it all with its tentacles and swallowed it in only 30 seconds or so. In these pictures, it's main body is sticking out about a centimeter and it's maybe half that in diameter. The tentacles stretch out fairly far when it wants to grab something - maybe 3cm from center to end.

This thing's really bizzare looking and I'm real curious as to what it is as I haven't added anything to my tank in over a year and now there are several of these all of a sudden in my display tank.

ethank77 · 08/16/2009, 01:46 PM

no idea but that is wild is the center hard like a shell or soft

mleinart · 08/16/2009, 01:48 PM

The center is soft like the tentacles I think.. I'm not sure it has a shell, but when it comes out of the sand its like it inflates itself.

driftin · 08/16/2009, 01:55 PM

Looks like some type of hydroid

mleinart · 08/16/2009, 01:57 PM

Well manage to pull one out. Its actually some kind of worm. The body looks like a spaghetti worm, but i've never seen a spaghetti worm show its mouth out of the sand like this. Its tentacles also look fewer, thicker, and are layed out in a much more straight radial pattern.

Bonta · 08/16/2009, 02:09 PM

This might be kinda random but do you have an anenome ?

barnett8 · 08/16/2009, 03:01 PM

It looks like something that would/will sting your corals (if you have any...) "When in doubt rip it out."

bigtex52 · 08/16/2009, 03:09 PM

Chaetopterid or Spionid worm?

http://www.melevsreef.com/id/dualpalps.html

mleinart · 08/16/2009, 03:39 PM

Bonta: Yeah, I have both a green and a rose BTA.

thecichlidpleco · 08/16/2009, 05:30 PM

+1 on the hydroid theory

Asterix · 08/16/2009, 05:30 PM

It looks like some kind of open source anenome , perhaps of the linus genus? It is most commonly associated with giant penguins. It may try to SUDO root. I would suggest switching to an MS os

In all seriousness though, I used to have one of those and I never knew what it was...It didnt live that long...It never hurt anything, but then again, it never touched anything so it may have that potential. I love finding random things in reef tanks. Its one of the coolest things about the hobby IMO

mleinart · 08/16/2009, 06:25 PM

Wow asterix - was quite confused when i read that a bit to fast.

Yeah, I'm not going to mess with them for now as they're only in the sand collecting detritus and not anywhere close to touching anything.

Doing a bunch more googling with some hits from answers here, I'm wondering if this could be the polyp stage of a cnidarian. I'll be keeping an eye out for any changes..

mleinart · 08/17/2009, 12:19 PM

Sent an email to WWM - this is what Bob Fenner said:

Polychaete worms). Very neat! Bob Fenner>

LeslieH · 11/15/2009, 11:42 PM

Bob is wrong for once as it's definitely not a polychaete. It's a sand-dwelling anemone in the family Edwardsiidae.

08/16/2009, 01:32 PM	#1
mleinart Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 57	ID: weird alien UFO lookin sand thing with tentacles As the subject might suggest, I'm having trouble finding words to describe it. I managed to get some halfway decent pictures: It seems to be in some kind of shell under the sand that it erupts out of. If disturbed, it very quickly contracts and buries itself. I gave it a decent pile of mysis and it grabbed it all with its tentacles and swallowed it in only 30 seconds or so. In these pictures, it's main body is sticking out about a centimeter and it's maybe half that in diameter. The tentacles stretch out fairly far when it wants to grab something - maybe 3cm from center to end. This thing's really bizzare looking and I'm real curious as to what it is as I haven't added anything to my tank in over a year and now there are several of these all of a sudden in my display tank.

08/16/2009, 01:46 PM	#2
ethank77 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Sabine Pass Texas Posts: 347	no idea but that is wild is the center hard like a shell or soft __________________ mannais

08/16/2009, 01:55 PM	#4
driftin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,247	Looks like some type of hydroid __________________ -Jim Current Tank Info: 70 gal custom room divider

08/16/2009, 02:09 PM	#6
Bonta Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: California Posts: 453	This might be kinda random but do you have an anenome ? __________________ I sometimes talk to my fish when no ones around. Current Tank Info: 60g

08/16/2009, 03:01 PM	#7
barnett8 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Doylestown PA Posts: 604	It looks like something that would/will sting your corals (if you have any...) "When in doubt rip it out." __________________ Member of the College Reefers Club (its not what you think I SWEAR!!) Almost 10 years in the hobby! Current Tank Info: 40g BR reef

08/16/2009, 01:48 PM	#3
mleinart Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 57	The center is soft like the tentacles I think.. I'm not sure it has a shell, but when it comes out of the sand its like it inflates itself.

08/16/2009, 01:57 PM	#5
mleinart Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 57	Well manage to pull one out. Its actually some kind of worm. The body looks like a spaghetti worm, but i've never seen a spaghetti worm show its mouth out of the sand like this. Its tentacles also look fewer, thicker, and are layed out in a much more straight radial pattern.

08/16/2009, 03:09 PM	#8
bigtex52 Old Salt Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Carrollton, TX (just N of Dallas) Posts: 436	Chaetopterid or Spionid worm? http://www.melevsreef.com/id/dualpalps.html

08/16/2009, 03:39 PM	#9
mleinart Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 57	Bonta: Yeah, I have both a green and a rose BTA.

08/16/2009, 05:30 PM	#10
thecichlidpleco Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ann Arbor Posts: 1,227	+1 on the hydroid theory __________________ knowledge is power, power leads to abuse, study hard, be evil Owning a tank is like being with that girlfriend who could care less about you, but you couldn't stand being without her. Current Tank Info: 125 Reef, (3) 250w aquamedic oceanlights ETSS 600 skimmer, mag12 return, (2) Tunze 6055's with 7095 controller, 100 gallon sump

08/16/2009, 05:30 PM	#11
Asterix Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 328	It looks like some kind of open source anenome , perhaps of the linus genus? It is most commonly associated with giant penguins. It may try to SUDO root. I would suggest switching to an MS os In all seriousness though, I used to have one of those and I never knew what it was...It didnt live that long...It never hurt anything, but then again, it never touched anything so it may have that potential. I love finding random things in reef tanks. Its one of the coolest things about the hobby IMO

08/16/2009, 06:25 PM	#12
mleinart Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 57	Wow asterix - was quite confused when i read that a bit to fast. Yeah, I'm not going to mess with them for now as they're only in the sand collecting detritus and not anywhere close to touching anything. Doing a bunch more googling with some hits from answers here, I'm wondering if this could be the polyp stage of a cnidarian. I'll be keeping an eye out for any changes..

08/17/2009, 12:19 PM	#13
mleinart Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 57	Sent an email to WWM - this is what Bob Fenner said: Polychaete worms). Very neat! Bob Fenner>

11/15/2009, 11:42 PM	#14
LeslieH Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 3,178	Bob is wrong for once as it's definitely not a polychaete. It's a sand-dwelling anemone in the family Edwardsiidae. __________________ Cheers, Leslie So many worms, so little time... Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County