They Come Out At Night

[BeakerBob]

I've been watching these in my tank for several years now and finally got a halfway decent picture of them since a colony moved closer to the front glass. Anyone know what they are called? They don't move around like a worm and the only movement they make is to shrink down when disturbed.

Sorry for the big picture, but in order to see the clear spotted tentacles, you have to look very close.

 

[aquarius77]

Amazing looking animal whatever it is. I still, after 2 years in the hobby cant believe all the wild forms of life in the ocean. Simply amazing.

 

[jonbar1]

Incredible photo!
Looks like an anemone or some other cnidarian to me

 

[returnofsid]

My guess would also be some kind of anemone. No need to apologize for large photo, that's an amazing pic!!!

 

[Kigs!]

Beautiful shot!

 

[cparka23]

Looks like a medusa worm to me.

no, not the spaghetti worm kind. This link has some that look somewhat like the one pictured here.

 

[BluegrassReef]

awesome pic whatever it is.

 

[Coral Keeper]

What ever it is, it looks AMAZING!!

 

[BeakerBob]

These guys have been identified a s a burrowing sea anemone.

Here are some new pictures I just took today.

 

[msman825]

I bet they will sting corals

 

[o0xerog0o]

1. Those are awesome

2. Those pics are amazing

3. What camera/lens combo are you using?

 

[mpoletti]

They could be Psuedocorynactis? I'm not at home Bob, but I have a link at home. Amazing shots

 

[SDguy]

1. Those are awesome

2. Those pics are amazing

3. What camera/lens combo are you using?

4. Those pics are STUNNING!

 

[ahayes13]

wow, very cool. its really neat the things we find in are tanks
great job on those pics too!!!

 

[Poseidon]

Awesome shots Bob! I can't imagine getting something so transparent and small in such sharp focus!!! Great work!

 

[Azurel]

That is some good pics right there.....That is why we are in this hobby, you can't find stuff like that in Fresh water....

 

[softiegirl]

Whatever they are, they're awesome pictures!!! you need to submit them... somewhere :angel:

 

[BeakerBob]

1. Those are awesome
2. Those pics are amazing
3. What camera/lens combo are you using?

Thanks for the compliments everyone! I use a Nikon D300 with a Tamron 90mm macro lens.

Leslie, worm expert extraordinaire, identified them as a burrowing sea anemone although I can't find the exact species in any of the references:

Originally posted by LeslieH
Nearly all of the commercially sold anemones fit the "standard" body type with pedal disks. What you've got are burrowing anemones and in fact this particular type is known as a worm anemone. They live in soft sediment or in rock crevices, move through the sediment, and are not attached. Instead of a pedal disk they have strong muscular hind ends that help them move rapidly through the sediment. When I said I had never seen anything like yours before I meant the species. Worm anemones can be common in soft bottom habitats & they get put into my worm samples all the time by inexperienced sorters.

You can check out a somewhat similar looking species here:
http://www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=D13500