Very strange worm

[reginanmc]

OK, don't hate me, I can't for the life of get pictures of this thing.....I have tried.

Here's a description:

At it's longest exstention I have seen it's 1 1/2" in length. it's black and white striped and smooth, it doesn't resemble a bristle worm at all.

The first time i saw it was living at teh bottom of a rock and would exstend out to sift through teh sand for food. That was a few weeks ago. This morning I saw it agian, only this time it was on top of teh same rock, sifting through rock creveces for food.

It's doesn't apear to have the activity that a bristle worm has. It seems to live in a hole and not leave the hole completely. Because of the angle of the rock, i can't tell if it lives in a tube or not.

And Ideas???

[frankandmaura]

Could it not be a worm at all, maybe the leg of a baby brittle star? I have seen them do this before...

[reginanmc]

Would a brittle star exstend just a leg out of a hole??? and it would have little tenticals wouldn't it???

This is smooth all the way around.

[Loverotties]

Really does sound like a Brittle Star.

[cjtice]

Mine (stars) just stick their legs out of holes allt he time. It may very well be a small star.

Chris

[reginanmc]

Trippy, it being a star never would have crossed my mind. I'll keep a look out and see if more of this little creature comes out of it's hole.

That's why I always have to ask questions :-)

[Wiskey]

I've got these worms,.. there cool They are called peanut worms I think,.. they sift through my sand mainly after lights off and are very easy to scare. I could never get a decent pic,.. and the rock I had 2 in is on the backside of my new tank

Whiskey

[Fly Guy]

agree with peanut worm ID. Sipunculida sp.

get out the red flashlight at night and you will see more. Ive seen some of them strecth out over 2 feet........weird thing is is they do this and their diameter doesnt change much the entire time whether they are stretching 2" or 2 ft. ??? cool critters

[reginanmc]

yup, that's it a peanut worm, i found a picture:



Thanks guys, so it's harmless???