Worms in the Sand

[Anonymous]

I have two or three critters that were living in my sand. They don't move. The seem to be small, 4 or 5 mm, and they send out 2 to 10 very fine threads that they use to pull in debris. After some time in the sand, they both pulled in shells, in which they have taken up residence. They now are inside the shells, and they have pulled sand and bits into the mouth of the shell, thereby essentially blocking the entrance. They still send out 1 to 2 inch long threads, typically 4 or 5 at a time. The threads are dark light dar light banded.

Any thoughts? I could get a pic, but it would only be of the very fine threads.

 

[Anonymous]

Commonly called spaghetti worms. They're polychaetes like bristleworms. They're deposit feeders. The tentacles you see are dragging in their food. I would tell you the family they're in but I've been writing a paper for the last 10 hours and my brain is mush. Sorry.

Your avatar is sick. What's it mean?

 

[Anonymous]

It means that life is unreal.

Thanks for the ID.

I also have something that I think must be unrelated that lives in the live rock. It pokes itself out on occasion. It also is black and white banded, but it's as thick as a pencil lead, and it is only one. The thread guys in the sand are about the thickness of hair.

 

[Anonymous]

Maybe a sipunculan?
http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/pages/main_p ... _rock3.htm
About 3/4 of the way down the page. The pic link won't work, but it's banded and unrolls itself like a sock. It's not segmented like bristleworms either.

 

[Anonymous]

Damn I really love this stuff. I love the fact that I have a 10 gallon nano on the desk next to me right now, I've had it for a long time, and I still find animals in it that I have never seen before.

I'm going to try to get a pick of the worm in the live rock. I haven't seen him in a while, but I see his rock poop next to his hole, so I know he's still in there.

Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

I love this stuff too. It's amazing how many different types of animals you can find on live rock. There are probably more phyla in your 10 gallon tank than you will ever find on land in your lifetime