Funky Worm - Friend or Fiend?!?

[JohnS]

Hi all,

So I'm sittin' there gazing at my LR (since I'm still cycling and there ain't much else to look at) and I see the freakiest thing 8O . Out of one of the holes comes this little head. It looked to be a worm of some sort. A brownish/gray color with these "whiskers" or barbs coming out from it. The thing stretched about an inch out of the hole and I saw a white ring around it's midsection. Then something moved and scared it back into its hole. I saw it peer out again about half an hour later (to my wifes horror - it really wigged her out!).

Any clue what this little guy could be and if he's anything I should worry about.

[quarryshark]

Most worms are not a problem. Sounds like a bristle worm, I have a few of them. No problem whatsoever. A pic to verify would be nice, if you can get one.

[JohnS]

Well, this worm is a wiley one. I think it may actually be an expert at the shell game! I stare at the hole he just came out of, poised with camera in hand until I'm bleary eyed and nothin'. So I go around to the side of the tank and Poop! he pops into a completely different hole on that side. I stare there for a while, go back to the front and Poop! he pops into a different hole. It's getting quite frustrating.

Anyway, he doesn't look like a bristle worm, as I have a couple of them that are frequently viewable. This guy is different. He looks like a cross between a small earth worm and a catfish. He has like three or four long spiney barbs/wiskers near the front and then a sleek shiny body for about an inch. He's got a white stripe in the middle and almost seems to be telescoping more than crawling.

I'm sure he's not a problem. It's now become the principle of it!

[Fluff]

Sounds like a peanut worm.

[quarryshark]

Sounds like a peanut worm.

With your second description, I would agree.

[Wolf]

http://oregonreef.com/sub_worm.htm

I have no idea what it could be but this story is pretty scary on what could happen.
8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O

[Brad]

It sounds more like Eunicid worm than a peanut worm. Check out my gallery for a good picture of a Eunicid worm.

I just read that story about the 7 footer! Yikes. I've got three of these worms of various sizes. I recently lost my entire pulsing Xenia (woke up and it was just...gone!) I suspect the worm.

Mine lives in the LR and may be impossible to remove without destroying the LR.

[JohnS]

http://oregonreef.com/sub_worm.htm

I have no idea what it could be but this story is pretty scary on what could happen.

Thanks Wolf. I had read that story before which is why I am a little freaked. He's got one unbelievable setup, though. Wow! It certainly is one to be proud of!

Thanks to everyone else for your thoughts. I checked out both the peanut and the eunicid worm. Unfortunately, it's neither of them either. This thing is sleek and completely smooth except for the barbs at the end. The barbs sort of look like those on the eunicid. The difference is that from the barbs back, as far as it extends, is smooth. This thing is lightning quick and never comes completely out of its hole.

Again, thanks for all of the thoughts so far. keep em' coming!

[Brad]

There's a whole family of different Eunicid worms. If he's got the head gear, it is probably a member of the family. But...there's no telling how large he may/may not get. Might as well enjoy him until he's known to cause a problem.

[JohnS]

Well Brad, you pointed me in the right direction. Acutally, you nailed it! It is a type of Eunicid worm. I found this site:

http://www.scuba-equipment-usa.com/marine/MAY04/Sand_Worm(Eunice_sp).html

In the right-up below the pic it says that they are known to have a white bar on the fourth segment of their bady. So that's my worm!

Thanks a million. I'll be glad in like 6 or 7 years when I can contribute instead of always asking questions!

[SoylentGrundy]

I'm probly gonna be up all night thinking about 7 foot worms now...curses... 8O

[XxTitleisTxX]

I don't know what kind it is, but IMO bristleworms=satan. I had one hitchhiking bristle worm cause death to 2 of my fish

[Brad]

I for one do not believe that a bristleworm could cause the death of a fish. It isn't like they have teeth or anything.

Other types of predetory worm, ok...but a bristle worm?