strange worm swimming around my tank

[Diener311]

I was just wondering if anyone has ever had any little skinny worms about 5 inches long, green with white at the top swimming around your tanks? I took it out b/c I didn't know if it was good or bad. Any info would be great....thanks!

-Brian

[m3rma1d]

i think there was a post about something like that yesterday.....here it is: http://www.thereeftank.com/forum/sho...&threadid=9697

no one can figure it out 'cos there is no pic

do you have a pic?

[Diener311]

I was going to take a picture, but now the all the green part has dissapeared and all thats left is a clear 2 inch long worm that looks like a bristle worm....man this thing is wierd

-Brian

[Diener311]

I forgot to mention that the green string part of the worm seems to have disinigrated into the water and all thats left of it is like tiny particles of it sitting at the bottom of the glass i put it in

-Brian

[m3rma1d]

heehee....i think it musta pooped!

[dark horge]

Some bristleworms turn into nothing more than swimming sacks devoted to reproduction (digestive systems disappear, and so on). These 'epitokes' then swarm to the surface at night, and disintegrate to accomplish their reproductive mission.

What you have seen is not quite an epitoke: a portion of functional worm remains, while the portion devoted to the storage of gametes has disintegrated (releasing its cargo). Some species of worm just do things this way.

Blunt skippy: your bristleworms have attempted to reproduce.


You did the right thing: when confronted by the unknown, play safe (so long as it does not disrupt the tank overmuch. But knowing it merely to be bristleworm repro, you should leave it alone next time







horge