What is this??

[Mandrew]

I just noticed this on my rock the other day and it has gotten MUCH larger in just a day or two. Ill add pictures in my next post really fast! Thanks in Advance!

 

[Mandrew]

First two pictures are when I first noticed it yesterday or the day before. 3rd pic is today.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Well now, that's interesting. It would certainly look like a vermetid snail's webbing, but that's not a vermetid snail's tube. I've never known them to construct sand tubes, like the Chaetopterid/Spionid worm. I'll have a look around and see what I can find.

 

[Mandrew]

I'd appreciate it! Could it be a bad thing?

 

[Lionfish Lair]

I guess it could be a bad thing where we're not 100% sure on the ID, but not too many worms/snails in tubes like that would do harm. If it were me and that were in my tank, if it didn't show itself after time, I would be removing half that tube just to see if I could get a peek at what's inside. Does the webbing come and go?

 

[Pruett-nc]

Does it have two alien tentacles that come out when you feed . I have themoney on my live rock and when I feed the tank the spin a Web to catch food .

 

[Mandrew]

I'll have to keep an eye on it because I haven't seen it without that stringy stuff all over it since I found it.

 

[Pruett-nc]

They are harmless in my tank I will find a name for it . Only harm is the Web on some corals but nothing I turkey baster won'the suck up .

 

[Lionfish Lair]

It's a vermetid you speak of Pruett.

 

[Pruett-nc]

Is this it .
http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhiker/vermetid.shtml

 

[Pruett-nc]

Wow you pshyic lol .

 

[Lionfish Lair]

LOL! It pretty much describes only one thing. What confuses me about Mandrews, is the tube is made up of the substrate. Vermetid typically have a hard smooth tube made up of a different material.

@Mandrew, maybe pull the webbing off.

 

[Pruett-nc]

Yeah I looked at the pic. Better from what I am reading they are spinoid worms because the sand pieces . Mine do have a tube like a feather duster so to speak .

 

[Lionfish Lair]

The thing is Chaetopterid/Spionid worms don't form webs.... this is like a weird combo. LOL.

 

[Mandrew]

I was thinking about pulling the web off but wasn't sure if I should touch it haha!

 

[Mandrew]

Also my tank is full of those vermetid worms so I wouldn't doubt if that's what they are. Except this one is WAY bigger

 

[Pruett-nc]

Yeah yours are differnt than mine because the tube I'should different and the Web isn't as thick .

 

[Lionfish Lair]

There's something more to it than it being a vermetid... there's something different going on here.

 

[Mandrew]

Yeah that's what I'm thinking I was just adding that I have a ton of those little ones as well

 

[Pruett-nc]

This is one of the ones in my tank . No sand structure so not what you have .