White tube/string on rocks

[fishski13]

Hey guys I have seen this kind of white tube/stringy stuff on a couple of my rocks and always see them on the shells of snails in the store. I have always wondered what it is but never got around to ask anyone. If anyone know let me know.

 

[Chrisv.]

Those look like fan/tube worms to me. Are they hard?

 

[fishski13]

Those look like fan/tube worms to me. Are they hard?

Yeah they are hard but I don’t think they are fan/tube worms. This stuff is flush with the rock and nothing sticks out

 

[Chrisv.]

Yeah they are hard but I don’t think they are fan/tube worms. This stuff is flush with the rock and nothing sticks out

former tube worms perhaps?

 

[WheatToast]

Those look like fan/tube worms to me. Are they hard?

Yeah they are hard but I don’t think they are fan/tube worms. This stuff is flush with the rock and nothing sticks out

former tube worms perhaps?

+1 on fan/tube worms. They can often be found flushed to rocks. OP’s worms might be dead, are not emerging often, or have incredibly small “fans.”

 

[vetteguy53081]

Tube worms. If alive, will emit fans that represent feather dusters which they use to capture food

 

[fishski13]

Ok cool, so is this something that is bad and I should worry about?

 

[Chrisv.]

Ok cool, so is this something that is bad and I should worry about?

not bad

 

[WheatToast]

Ok cool, so is this something that is bad and I should worry about?

Generally, no. They are harmless filter-feeders which I would keep around. I have heard of them clogging pipes, but this is incredibly rare.