What is this?

[Mitchell]

I bought some xenia on a little rock tonight and when I brought it home I noticed something weird on the rock. They are brown with black stripes, about the width of a hair and the longest ones are about an inch long. They seem to move around on their own, so I don't think its some kind of crazy algae. What are they?

 

 

[jgf86123]

Can't tell from the pic, but if they look like tiny crustaceans, possibly they be pods of some kind.

[Mitchell]

Can't tell from the pic' date=' but if they look like tiny crustaceans, possibly they be pods of some kind.[/quote']

 

No, they look kinda like worms.

 

Here I circled some:

 

[jgf86123]

Peanut worms

[Mitchell]

Peanut worms

 

All the "worms" seem to lead back to one central point. I know its hard to see in the picture and me circling parts of the worms probably didn't help.

[R-3]

Peanut worms

 

Hey Mick are you sure they are not of the Cashew or Almond variety?

 

Sorry.................its late (laugh)

[R-3]

No, they look kinda like worms.

 

Here I circled some:

 

 

Its tough to tell but looks like some sort of worm. Seems a little to skinny and uniform to be a brittle star.

[Mitchell]

Its tough to tell but looks like some sort of worm. Seems a little to skinny and uniform to be a brittle star.

 

Do you think they would be a threat to my coral or clam?

[jgf86123]

LOL no worries Ryan, an Mitchell, they look to be common peanut worms, I'm pretty sure that's what they're called, I've got em all in my rock work, they're harmless unless your fish poop LOL

[R-3]

Do you think they would be a threat to my coral or clam?

 

Yep like Mick said, harmless.

[Mitchell]

LOL no worries Ryan' date=' an Mitchell, they look to be common peanut worms, I'm pretty sure that's what they're called, I've got em all in my rock work, they're harmless unless your fish poop LOL[/quote']

 

According to my research on the google machine peanut worms are really thick and single worms. Mine are really really thin and seem to all come from a central point.

[jgf86123]

LOL dude, peanut worms can be just about any size under the sun, I've got, literally, dozens in my tank, I can't turn a flashlight on without seeing them at night, it's pretty cool watching em all scramble to get away from the light when you flash it at em....Thats the right coloration though, an I've never seen any of mine so much as touch a coral.

[Mitchell]

LOL dude' date=' peanut worms can be just about any size under the sun, I've got, literally, dozens in my tank, I can't turn a flashlight on without seeing them at night, it's pretty cool watching em all scramble to get away from the light when you flash it at em....Thats the right coloration though, an I've never seen any of mine so much as touch a coral.[/quote']

 

Mine don't care about light and seem to all be attached to a rock.

[jgf86123]

Then they're definitely peanut worms, they come in an out of the rock...They look nice an skinny when they're all stretched out huntin for food one second, an the next they'll be fat an stubby, weird as hell, but hey, they're worms lol...needless to say, you're safe dude.

[stylaster]

actually that is not a peanut worm, it is a spaghetti worm, the worm has multiple tentacles that come out of its head to gather food. They are great detritous eaters great to have in your tank

a peanut worm does not have tentacles like this and are usually grey colored. The spaghetti worms do come in banded colors such as this one

[reefboy]

I concur with Roy and good job on the name I kept wanting to say pasta worm lol.

[Mitchell]

Thanks guys. I guess I wont rip them of the rock then.

[jgf86123]

LOL Thanks Roy, I figured peanut worm, either or, still harmless :P

[Saltfinsax]

+1 for Roy. Spaghetti worms for sure as I have tons in my tank.

[Rick]

I'm gonna go against the flow here and suggest that this may actually be a serpent star rather than a worm. It has the right coloring and since they all seem to go back to the same point it leads me to believe that is what it is. If so then no worries. My very first piece of live rock had one in it which I still see from time to time. (It's a bit gigger now though)