What are these tiny worms in my pico that look like eels?

[Jan]

I have lots of all different types of worms in my pico; terebellidae worms, bristleworms, spionid or chaetopterid worms, tube worms, etc.. I can ID most all of them except one. It's an interesting looking worm. It's as thin as a thread. fully extends at night to look like an eel reaching up. They sway back and forth and have tiny projections along their body like bristles but not as close together as bristleworm bristles. Their head is bulbous and they bend their body at the head so they look like eels or snakes. During the day they retract into tiny short projections in the rock work. What is it? I've tried taking pics but they all come out blurry.

Edited December 27, 2009 by Jan

[treesprite]

Might they be hydroids?

[Jan]

No, hydroids look more like plants. I don't think they retract and expand. These are worms. They retract and expand.

 

Might they be hydroids?

[treesprite]

No, hydroids look more like plants. I don't think they retract and expand. These are worms. They retract and expand.

 

I have seen people describe them that way.... wasn't sure so I put a question mark. I have seen them in my tank before, but not since I scrubbed all the rock.

[Stephen]

No, hydroids look more like plants. I don't think they retract and expand. These are worms. They retract and expand.

 

Hydroids come in many forms. Plant, tube worm, jellyfish, and "eel" like.

 

Try a search for Digitate Hydroids.

[Jan]

OMG, those are them. I had no idea that hydroids also looked and acted like worms. All the pics I've seen of them looked like plant life or jellyfish. Thank you Stephen and Forrest!

 

Hydroids come in many forms. Plant, tube worm, jellyfish, and "eel" like.

 

Try a search for Digitate Hydroids.

[treesprite]

My understanding is that they can irritate corals by stinging them.

[Jan]

These aren't irritating anything except me. I don't like the way they look.

WWM says if they aren't bothering anything leave them alone. They come and go.

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/hyzoancompfaq.htm

 

My understanding is that they can irritate corals by stinging them.

[bluefunelement]

I have a bunch that grew out shortly after they started to appear as hydroids (starfish-like form) on the glass - those disappeared and I assume they found each other and formed these colonies. I think of them like the barrel-o-monkeys but if they sting my corals they will be past tense.

[bluefunelement]

BTW - here's a video of my new biocube 29 with what I suspect is an initial hydriod outbreak - you can see them on the glass as the turbo deftly avoids them

testing.chesa.com/video/russell/russell.mov