Giant vermetid? Small triceratops?

[JMV]

I recently added a couple clusters of Caribbean spirobranchus sp. worms, and in with them is this guy- apologies for the poor pic.  Anyone familiar with these? Cause for concern in a mixed reef with small fish/inverts?

 

 

I assume it’s some sort of massive vermetid, but I haven’t seen anything like it and my googling just turns up pics of more common vermetids.  
 

It’s in an opaque purple & white spiraling tube that is largest at the opening, which is about 1”, oval rather than round and flecked with orange.  I haven’t seen it put out a mucous net, and it doesn’t seem to have an operculum.  It retracts quickly sometimes, but spends most of the time at the opening of its tube. The fleshy part has a rough texture; it doesn’t retract if I put my hand or tweezers in slowly and touch it. It very much resembles an ordinary snail head.

 

 

Thanks WAMAS!

[ReefdUp]

I'm not as familiar with Caribbean species, but there are invasive species of vermetids there (https://reefs.com/2017/04/06/new-vermetid-snails-found-in-florida-may-have-originated-from-the-pacific/). If you search for "serpulorbis" you'll find similar-looking things as well, but some of those species have moved under Thylacodes.

[JMV]

Thylacodes looks right, thanks!  I should caveat that the I’m basing the caribbean origin of the spirobranchus it was with from what the vendor indicated; I can’t really find any features to confirm for sure.

[lowsingle]

My vote is small triceratops 

 

Darren

 

[JMV]

@lowsingle Not totally ruling it out. ??

[bluestarfish]

Vermetid multiply very fast if you don’t control it. Bumblebee snails keep them in check if you want to look it up.


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[JMV]

@bluestarfish Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind!  I should probably get rid of him, but I’m pretty partial to feathered tube worms, so I’m hesitant to go the predator route.  The body alone on this guy is also bigger than any bumblebee snail I’ve seen!  
 

It does put out mucous nets.  It doesn’t seem to bother anything at the moment from where it’s positioned, but I’m sure if I had a bunch of these show up it would be problematic.  I can’t really break it off without risking the spirobranchus tubes; the safest thing I can think would be to try to seal up its tube with a large wad of putty and super glue, but it doesn’t retract very far into the tube and I’m not sure it wouldn’t be able to push it back out before it set.  He’s unfortunately also sort of adorable… we’ll see!