Weird stuff on sand bed

[Blitz06]

Hey all i keep seeing this weird stuff come out of my sand and I was wondering if anyone knows what it is. it might just be detritus but I’m not to sure. They look like little tubes, and when I tried to blow them away they were deep in the sand bed.

 

[Spare time]

They are small worms. I have them too but don't know the name. @ISpeakForTheSeas might know

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

They are small worms. I have them too but don't know the name. @ISpeakForTheSeas might know

Possibly Chaetopterid worms:

In this case, it's probably a Chaetopterid worm - they're very similar to Spionid worms, but they tend to prefer burrowing in the sand instead of in the rocks, and they reportedly tend to have longer palps.

That said, I say probably because to make a proper ID involves removing the worm from its tube and getting pics of the body out of the tube, which just isn't feasible.

Generally, these aren't a problem unless their numbers start getting out of hand.

 

[Blitz06]

Possibly Chaetopterid worms:

Thank you, are there anything that eats those? And I’ll try and get a better pic later.

 

[Spare time]

Thank you, are there anything that eats those? And I’ll try and get a better pic later.

I wonder if a sand sifting goby would eat them. It would at least bury them lol. In the tank I had that goby in, these would only form along the glass.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Thank you, are there anything that eats those? And I’ll try and get a better pic later.

I wonder if a sand sifting goby would eat them. It would at least bury them lol. In the tank I had that goby in, these would only form along the glass.

Nothing eats them IME.

 

[Spare time]

Nothing eats them IME.

A siphon would eat them lol

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Thank you, are there anything that eats those? And I’ll try and get a better pic later.

There are predators, but the known fish predators are larger than most tanks should realistically ever house, and the inverts aren't as well studied, wouldn't be reef-safe, and/or wouldn't be available for purchase. I would also guess that - like with spionids - unless the predator can get their full body from inside their tube, the worms would probably just survive and regenerate.

So, removal via siphoning may be your best bet at this point.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

So, removal via siphoning may be your best bet at this point.

I've found that a slotted spoon or "skimmer" as pictured below works better than siphoning

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Or a cat litter scoop, lol

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Or a cat litter scoop, lol

Haha, if it works it works