What. The. Heck. Is. This. Monster. Worm. Thing.

[haleyf1024]

I was looking around in my fuge and noticed that some seagrass was moving unnaturally. I looked closer and realized it was wrapped up by these long, skinny tentacles, about as thick as 2-3 human hairs. I stuck my tongs in and they retracted into a hole in the rock with a growth thing on it, sort of looks like a feather duster worm tube, but camo with the rock and only 1/5" at most. The tentacles were white/clear and from only what i saw, about 6-7 inches long. The thing had like 10 of them. He is in the hole now and it won't show up on my camera, so no pictures as of now. Any ideas what this freak is???!!!

 

[KoleTang]

Digitate hydroid?

 

[haleyf1024]

its that thing with the long strings

 

[haleyf1024]

 

[KoleTang]

Looks like a type of hydroid.

 

[haleyf1024]

I saw those, but it isn't an exact match. The pics I saw had either white balls on the tips or had feelers on the tenticals, which I don't see on this thing.

 

[haleyf1024]

Sorry for this stupid question, but hydroids can retract? I have never had an issue with hydroids and never had to deal with this freak of a thing

 

[saltyphish]

Yes digitate hydroids can retract.

Sorry for this stupid question, but hydroids can retract? I have never had an issue with hydroids and never had to deal with this freak of a thing

 

[saltyphish]

Are the strings connected anywhere making kinds of a web. Could be spaghetti worm.

 

[NanaReefer]

Digitate Hydroids do not live inside of anything. They attach themselves to whatever is available by way of thread like roots.
That is not a Digitate Hydroid. But it does look to be some type of Tube Worm. Wishing for a clearer picture

 

[haleyf1024]

I can't get any clearer of a picture When he is out, yes he makes a web thing. I can see him retracting into the rock

 

[haleyf1024]

I looked at spaghetti worms and now I think that's what I have. Somewhere mentioned that their tentacles radiate out of the hole, which mine does. They go in all directions, all the way around his opening. Should I leave this thing alone? Could that be what ate my ghost shrimp that had been living in my sump?

 

[Mike J.]

Spaghetti worms are perfectly harmless, they eat detritus. It didn't eat your shrimp. From the description in the first post I was thinking spaghetti worm.

 

[haleyf1024]

Thats good then. I will leave it be but keep an eye on it. I wonder where my shrimp went, probably the gorilla crab or whelk

 

[fungia_fiend]

It definitely looks like a spagetti worm, and they're harmless detrivores.

 

[haleyf1024]

Got a better picture! But now I have these other white worms showing up on the glass. Any ideas? I pulled one out, they don't swim and can contract from over an inch to about a 1/4"

 

[Mike J.]

Yup, positive identification, good pic.