Need an id

[mango_mouse]

Sorry I dont have a picture but will do my best to describe. I have been seeing these small red filaments appearing in the sandbed of my 75 gallon reef tank. These filaments look like hair algae only reddish/pink in color. I tried gently moving the sand around them to see what was underneath but they quickly disappeared. The other day I saw a small worm-like creature (about a quarter of an inch long and very slender) crawling along the glass. The body was basically transparent. The red filaments were at the head and small ones projecting from the side. I watched it crawl along the glass and then it dug itself into the sand. Anybody know what they are? Good or bad?

Thanks for any help.

[CAT]

If they remind you of a centipede, they're bristle worms (fire worms). I've got them all over my refugium. There's a debate on whether they're good or not - I don't have a problem with them.

HTH

[Big Dave]

I agree with Cat, sounds like bristle worms. A cery good detrius and leftover cleaner. Anything dead or decaying, they will take care of - just don't try to pet them!

-Big Dave

[Tonto]

I know exactly what you are describing, but I don’t know what they are.
I have a bunch of those. If you look along the surface of the sand you can probably see the “feelers” sticking out, waving around. I don’t know if they are good or bad but they are kinda Interesting.

[Mrs Smith]

Sounds like spaghetti worms to me. Either spaghetti, or their ceruliad cousins. (And I know I spelled that wrong.)

Long body with lots of little "worms," coming off the sides? I think the true spaghetti worms are red, but down quote me. We have the "cousins" - they're yellow. And they're harmless and good.

Danielle

[CAT]

Uh oh, different opinions.

This is Ron Shimek's article on 'baddies' in the aquarium. Might help you to id your critter.

http://www.rshimek.com/rogue's_gallery.htm

Good luck

PS, you'll have to fix the address and cut and paste. The system will not fill the blank between 'rogue's' and 'gallery' with a '_' (underline).

[mango_mouse]

Based on the replies I received I did some more research and found some articles with pictures that I could compare my critters with. From what I can tell now I think what I am seeing is likely to be a cirratulid. It is very rare for me to see them crawling along the glass - normally I just see the feeder tentacles (I think they are actually gillls) sticking up out of the sandbed. I may also have the spaghetti worms too - I do see these tube like tunnel formations in the sand. From what I can tell these seem to be good things to have. If I can find them crawling out of sand again I'll get a pic. Thanks for the help.

[Allyson]

Here's a shot of one of my spaghetti worms (I must have at least 50 in my tiny 30 gal)