Long white strings coming out of rock

737flyer · Dec 16, 2023

My Buan Goby is trying to pull these long white strings out of my rock. I've pulled the rock up to get a pic so the water is cloudy, but hopefully you can see them. There are several white strings that wave around, coming out of a hole in the rock. They don't seem to pull back and the goby can't break them. Any thoughts on what they are? TIA.

Cichlid Dad · Dec 16, 2023

Need a better picture

737flyer · Dec 16, 2023

Here are some under white light

737flyer · Dec 16, 2023

737flyer said:
Here are some under white light

ISpeakForTheSeas · Dec 17, 2023

Can you describe the strings a bit more? Are they hard or soft? Does anything pop out of the strings?

737flyer · Dec 17, 2023

ISpeakForTheSeas said:
Can you describe the strings a bit more? Are they hard or soft? Does anything pop out of the strings?

They are white, thinner than angel hair spaghetti & wave around in the current. They appear to be smooth. Here is my Goby trying to yank them out (he can't & they don't break).

ISpeakForTheSeas · Dec 17, 2023

Based on the pics, I have no idea; based on the description, maybe a Spaghetti Worm?

737flyer · Dec 17, 2023

Here is a video under white light. After watching them for a while, they seem to be coming out of several holes in the rock and they do retract from the top ones.
EDIT: The movie doesn't seem to be working. Sorry!

Could it be Aiptasia though? That's all I'm really worried about.

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · Dec 18, 2023

737flyer said:
Here is a video under white light. After watching them for a while, they seem to be coming out of several holes in the rock and they do retract from the top ones.
EDIT: The movie doesn't seem to be working. Sorry!

Could it be Aiptasia though? That's all I'm really worried about.

Definitely not aiptasia.

ISpeakForTheSeas · Dec 18, 2023

737flyer said:
Could it be Aiptasia though? That's all I'm really worried about.

Yeah, definitely not Aiptasia. Going by the video, maybe some kind of sea snail/sea slug eggs?

Tired · Jan 1, 2024

Did you ever figure this one out? Snail eggs seems pretty likely- that's what it looks like when my Hector's goby yanks on cerith snail eggs. Snail eggs, of course, wouldn't retract, but a spaghetti worm being attacked wouldn't leave its feelers out to be pulled, and their feelers are smoother anyway.