spaghetti worms in the sand

[zotzer]

I now have several clumps of spaghetti worms propogating in my sand bed. Other than looking ugly (and MAN, do they have reach!), is there any problem with leaving them there?

 

I have this crazy giant red mushroom rock that has started dropping about one a day in the sand. The shrooms move all over the place because the spaghetti worms irritate them. I'm trying to decide whether to pluck them out, or just leave them.

 

Tracy

[Sugar Magnolia]

Those are beneficial. They'll clean up any detritus on the sand. If you find yourself wioth too many of them, let me know, I'll take some off your hands for you.

[zotzer]

Those are beneficial. They'll clean up any detritus on the sand. If you find yourself wioth too many of them, let me know, I'll take some off your hands for you.

 

You've got a deal!

T

[stevil]

Ditto.

[jason the filter freak]

Ditto.

Same here I used to have two and they disappeared after a while.

[zotzer]

I guess I have excellent spaghetti worm husbandry skills. ROFL

 

To give credit where credit is due...they came in on the LR and the giant mushroom rock I got from Dave, and now I've seen four big ones in the sand (as I siphon off the mild case of cyano that I've been dealing with).

 

Tracy

Edited October 14, 2007 by zotzer

[st9z]

Hey Tracy,

What does the spaghetti worms look like? Can u post a pic?

[zotzer]

It will probably be hard to get a pic, but I will try when the lights come on.

 

Basically, it looks like a clump of tiny little threads (white or orangish or greenish colored) coming out of one central location. They have a reach of up to about 6 inches, if you watch them closely. They also have "gills" that look like a little tuft of reddish algae, right in the center where the feeders radiate from. Generally, the red tufts are under the substrate, but are easily visible when I am siphoning crud off the sand.

 

Tracy

Edited October 14, 2007 by zotzer

[st9z]

oh shoot i saw a green looking strand of worm i thought it was something bad and i siphon it out last week :( i hope i have more...

[lanman]

Picture of a spaghetti worm (Terebellid):

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-06/rs/index.php

 

bob

[st9z]

yep that is what i removed from my tank :/

[treesprite]

I don't have any of those, but I discovered a huge polychaete of some sort the other day. How big do bristle worms get? this thing is huge and has to have been in there undetected for at least several months (I believe it came from Martin's liverock). Well, I'm pretty sure there is only one, but????

[lanman]

I don't have any of those, but I discovered a huge polychaete of some sort the other day. How big do bristle worms get? this thing is huge and has to have been in there undetected for at least several months (I believe it came from Martin's liverock). Well, I'm pretty sure there is only one, but????

I have one that stretches out to about 8 inches in my refugium.

 

bob

[treesprite]

what the heck are you feeding it? Are they able to make themselves longer and thinner at will?