big worm?

[clownfish cj]

I just saw what I thought was a big worm coming out of a live rock with the lights off. It was probably 2-3 inches long! When I shined a flashlight at it it went back into the rock pretty quickly. What the heck is this and is it bad?

 

[Waddi]

Sounds like a bristleworm, no they are not bad, valued part of the CUC in my opinion, just dont touch em.

 

[coolhandgoose]

Was it a bristleworm?
I've also seen on one of my rocks a black worm that anchors itself in the rocks and sticks out about 2 inches to feed on the rock around it.
Usually these guys are harmless and are actually good for the reef.

 

[clownfish cj]

this worm has no bristles on it and can extend pretty far, when it is startled it doesn't just go back in, it kind of goes back in to it's own sack? It is also very skinny, about the same diameter of the ink tube in a standard pen.

 

[ErinCahir]

Could be a peanut worm. Which is also harmless.

 

[Zissou]

+1 Erin. Sounds like a peanut worm to me too.

 

[marcah]

+2 sounds like a peanut to me also..

 

[Dana42078]

It wasnt one of these i hope.

 

[clownfish cj]

your funny dana, no it isn't one of those, lol

 

[Dana42078]

Well u said worm.....these things scare me.

 

[ErinCahir]

It wasnt one of these i hope.

Thanks a lot for this. Now I'm all creepy-crawly.

 

[Dana42078]

I know, everytime i see one i freak out. I cant believe that thing was in someone's tank eating their acans and zoa's....hope i never get one.

 

[Live Rock]

It looks like a Eunicid worm. Those things can get up to several feet and can eat fish and sessile inverts. When they're young, they can be beneficial scavengers.

 

[ErinCahir]

The picture Dana posted is not what the OP has in his tank...

 

[Dana42078]

@live rock that's exactly what it is. That one I posted is 2 feet. @ Erin he said a worm, wasn't a britstile worm so I figured y not....seriously if I saw this in my tank I'd shit my pants