ID PLEASE NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE

MRRBW · Mar 30, 2018

I have some worm like critter that has filaments coming off of it. Never seen it before. Is it dangerous and should it be removed? I try to leave everything I can in the tank but this guy is a first.

mckinney0171 · Mar 30, 2018

holy crap that thing is nightmarish! never seen one of those before.

ReeferBean · Mar 30, 2018

It looks like a spaghetti worm. They tend to irritate zoas from opening so I remove them.

MRRBW · Mar 30, 2018

a video for reference, excuse the movie music, i couldn't help it

Reef Box · Mar 30, 2018

+ 1 on the spaghetti worm. I used to have hundreds of them in my fuge before I rebuilt everything they burrow into the sand and the tenticals grap anything that floats by. Don't have experience in the DT though, sorry

ReeferBean · Mar 30, 2018

Cool vid... remove it before it hides lol

Maggie321 · Mar 30, 2018

They are harmless detritus eaters. Leave him. He's doing more good than harm.

Rybren · Mar 30, 2018

Yup. What Maggie said.

From Lionfish Lair

"
Polychaete - Cirratulid/Terebellid
(Hair/Spaghetti Worm)
Suitability: Score!
Diet: Feeds on detritus."

https://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhikers-guide/polychaete-terebellid/

ReeferBean · Mar 30, 2018

Yes they are detritus eaters, and I guess don't do any harm per se. But when your zoas aren't opening all the way because of them they have to go. I like looking at my corals more.

MRRBW · Mar 30, 2018

thanks everyone for confirming. it was neat to watch it move around the glass. Now it's mia, but I don;t have zoas, so good for now.

CindyKz · Mar 30, 2018

ReeferBean said:
Yes they are detritus eaters, and I guess don't do any harm per se. But when your zoas aren't opening all the way because of them they have to go. I like looking at my corals more.

What is it about them that irritates zoas?

ReeferBean · Mar 30, 2018

CindyKz said:
What is it about them that irritates zoas?

They spread there tentacles out to capture food. The zoas don't open fully when they are near by and the tentacles are over the colony. Its not that they kill them, I just like my zoa garden open fully is all. To each their own though. They are definitely a cool little animal.

ChiCity · Mar 30, 2018

ReeferBean said:
They spread there tentacles out to capture food. The zoas don't open fully when they are near by and the tentacles are over the colony. Its not that they kill them, I just like my zoa garden open fully is all. To each their own though. They are definitely a cool little animal.

I ditto this...
For the most part, they’re harmless, but they do have a tendency to irritate zoas.
Also, they multiply insanely fast by expelling a larvae/worm like thingy they shoot into the water column, which promptly breaks into dozens of little worms that all grow into spaghetti worms!
Some scary Ridley Scott ish!!

Maggie321 · Mar 30, 2018

I have quite a few spaghetti worms in my tank and they've never irritated my zoas... weird. Mine live cohesively with all my corals. I even "save them" when doing water changes and accidentally suck them out. I am unsure of how many different kinds of spaghetti worms there are so there may be different kinds that bother zoas. Over all they are friendly I believe. Like local garbage processing plants in your tank. Mine always are eating fish waste and leftover food that settles in the dead spots.

ChiCity · Mar 30, 2018

Maggie321 said:
I have quite a few spaghetti worms in my tank and they've never irritated my zoas... weird. Mine live cohesively with all my corals. I even "save them" when doing water changes and accidentally suck them out. I am unsure of how many different kinds of spaghetti worms there are so there may be different kinds that bother zoas. Over all they are friendly I believe. Like local garbage processing plants in your tank. Mine always are eating fish waste and leftover food that settles in the dead spots.

I think there’s a few diff types because I’ve personally seen the beige/ yellow ones (Op’s) with spotted tentacles that seem to be the most offensive to zoas.
I’ve also seen red ones that are benign.
ymmv

mckinney0171 · Mar 30, 2018

Maggie321 said:
I have quite a few spaghetti worms in my tank and they've never irritated my zoas... weird. Mine live cohesively with all my corals. I even "save them" when doing water changes and accidentally suck them out. I am unsure of how many different kinds of spaghetti worms there are so there may be different kinds that bother zoas. Over all they are friendly I believe. Like local garbage processing plants in your tank. Mine always are eating fish waste and leftover food that settles in the dead spots.

are these the same little critters that make little tubes and put out mucous strands and try to catch stuff in that and then eat it?

ChiCity · Mar 30, 2018

mckinney0171 said:
are these the same little critters that make little tubes and put out mucous strands and try to catch stuff in that and then eat it?

those are vermetids

kruley · Mar 30, 2018

Spaghetti worm. I have never had a problem with them. They are usually buried in my substrate helping to keep it clean.

Maggie321 · Mar 30, 2018

mckinney0171 said:
are these the same little critters that make little tubes and put out mucous strands and try to catch stuff in that and then eat it?

No those are vermatid snails