"Worm-type thing" Question

[Stringztoo1]

I need some help with identification please. I have noticed these tiny things in my tank. They live in the rock, mostly barnacles, but some are in tiny holes in the rock... They are some sort of worm that has more than one "arm/leg" and they can stretch out to about 2 inches long per tentacle.

Some are all white while others are white with black bands. They are about 1/2 as thick as a piece of lead for an automatic pencil. They're very tiny and each hole has between 2-5 "arms/legs" in it. I have about 10-12 of them in my tank. I doubt they're bad, but anyone know what they actually are?

Son't tell me it's as easy as being tube worms though, I thought they were something different.

Thanks so much!

 

[Green Mariner]

Possibly mini brittle stars?

I have em in my tank and they often reach out of the rock to capture food from the water column.

 

[Green Mariner]

String, check the second post on this thread, it has a pic of exactly what I think you are describing.
http://www.reefland.com/cgi-bin/forum/showthread.php?s=f01974df1544d36c49263161074d07cf&threadid=4781
these are mini-brittle stars, they don't get much bigger than 1" from tip of leg to tip of leg.

HTH

 

[Stringztoo1]

Very, very similar to that pic but mine are smaller, (though I can't really gauge size with that pic). They haven't been bad to the tank, I was just curious what they were!

Also, I thought brittlestars moved on their own and had little tentacles on each of its legs!

 

[dbman]

I have brittle / serpent stars in my rock that don't come out; they just reach out for food. Although if they're in teh sump and you toss some food in they will come RUNNING.

 

[yznhmr]

I know what strings is talking about .. and no its not a brittle star, it looks like a worm like thing, it extends out of its self.. i have one also..

 

[Stringztoo1]

Yes! Very right. Not sure about the brittle stars thing. I do have about 10 of them in the tank though. Wish my digital cam was working cause then I could post a pic of it.

Any other suggestions?

 

[Stringztoo1]

Not britlestars... I have them, and they are MUCH bigger. These actually live i the rock itself.

 

[mixalis]

Sounds like spaghetti worms. A good thing to have lots of in one's tank. What you're seeing are its exposed tentacles. The head and body are hidden.

 

[Stringztoo1]

Check that. I just found one that has 18 legs and a "main body" looking thing has come out of the hole. Kinda yellow/orange and has about 10 more short orange tentacles... what are these things?!