Tell me this isn't what I suspect it might be...

[robinm]

The only thing I can think of is a tiny eunice (bobbit) worm. He's bloody quick when a piece of mysis floats by he shoots out and grabs it. I can only see 4 antennae but he is tiny and it's difficult to get a good view of him. Sorry about the video quality but it's the best I could do as it's though about 12" of water.

Mystery critter - You tube video

 

[exnisstech]

If you post the video on YouTube and paste the link here people won't have to download an 80mb file before they can view it. Just saying because its easier for eveyone. I'm not a fan of downloading unknown files and I know of others that feel the same.

 

[robinm]

The mystery critter link is you tube video, sorry should have made that clearer

I've edited the original post to remove the attachment and make the link clearer

 

[shakacuz]

very difficult to ID as we can only see its "antenna". any possible way to get another angle? has it come out more? (as in, exposed more of itself) is it black/brown?

 

[exnisstech]

Sorry I'm not picking. Pasting the link makes is so we don't even have to leave this site. Another apology as I can't help with ID

 

[robinm]

very difficult to ID as we can only see its "antenna". any possible way to get another angle? has it come out more? (as in, exposed more of itself) is it black/brown?

I'll try and get another angle tomorrow when the lights are on but he's in a difficult spot to get a good look. It does come out a bit more to grab food but it's lightning fast and I can't really tell but light brown would be my best guess

 

[cdemoss01]

I'll try and get another angle tomorrow when the lights are on but he's in a difficult spot to get a good look. It does come out a bit more to grab food but it's lightning fast and I can't really tell but light brown would be my best guess

What do you think it is?

 

[Doctorgori]

If it comes out a tube and snatches food, then there is your answer: what is it: it’s GONE
edited

 

[JoJosReef]

Not enough of the worm is out of the rock for a positive ID. Just by looking at the antennae poking out, I am suspecting a Eunice worm. Where did you get your rocks/sand?

 

[cdemoss01]

Not enough of the worm is out of the rock for a positive ID. Just by looking at the antennae poking out, I am suspecting a Eunice worm. Where did you get your rocks/sand?

Eunice worm is rare... But deadly. Where exactly is it?

 

[robinm]

Not enough of the worm is out of the rock for a positive ID. Just by looking at the antennae poking out, I am suspecting a Eunice worm. Where did you get your rocks/sand?

Dry man made rock (TMC eco reef) & dry sand. There's no chance that it came in on those. The only two things I have added have been some caulerpa bought from an internet store which I stupidly did not dip / rinse and a single coral from an lfs which I did dip. I have no clue how this guy got in there.

Edit: Oh yeah a bunch of CUC also added, hermits, turbans, strombus etc

 

[JoJosReef]

Eunice worm is rare... But deadly. Where exactly is it?

Not really. There are many, many species of Eunice worms (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eunice_(annelid), not just the infamous ambush predator, the bobbit worm (Eunice aphroditois). While they are found in the Atlantic, I understand that they are more likely to be found hitchhiking in rocks from the Indo-Pacific. There are Eunice worms in the rocks from the Gulf/Florida, but I think most of them are other species of Eunice worms that don't grow as large and are mostly detritivores;

Bobbit Worm - Eunice Aphroditois, The King of Polychaete Marine Worms

The ultimate guide to Bobbit Worms, Eunice Aphroditoisde. Learn how these Ambush Predators eat, where they live, and see how they hunt and kill their prey!

arcreef.com

I currently have a long, thin Eunice worm in my rocks that came from the Gulf. Had more in my Nano before I retired it. I used to watch them at night with my red flashlight. Mostly munching on the live rocks and the GHA (or maybe stuff caught in the GHA). They REALLY went nuts when I'd drop flake food in the tank at night for the serpent starfish (which was his favorite food). Sometimes had to scare them off so the star could get to it first! I've watched them "munching" around snails at times, but I never witnessed one attacking a snail. That said, I've had snail deaths that went unexplained--but I'm not sure I can attribute those deaths to the Eunice worms.

 

[JoJosReef]

Dry man made rock (TMC eco reef) & dry sand. There's no chance that it came in on those. The only two things I have added have been some caulerpa bought from an internet store which I stupidly did not dip / rinse and a single coral from an lfs which I did dip. I have no clue how this guy got in there.

Edit: Oh yeah a bunch of CUC also added, hermits, turbans, strombus etc

Maybe get a positive ID on the worm first. Might not be a Eunice worm. But worm eggs can come in on many different substrates. I'm 99% certain I bought in an influx of bristleworms by dosing Fiji Mud in my tank.

 

[cdemoss01]

I kind of like some pests they add a natural feel to the tank. Except for hydroids.

 

[robinm]

I kind of like some pests they add a natural feel to the tank. Except for hydroids.

As long as they're controlled I actually don't mind them they're all forming part of the biome but there are some you just can't allow in a confined space like an aquarium and Eunice aphroditois falls squarely into that category. I'll try and get better shots tomorrow but I'm leaning towards a tube of superglue and hoping he doesn't have a back door..

 

[robinm]

Hahaha, I started noticing lots of them this morning, tiny and waving their feelers in the current. Then I saw one move... Bloody amphipods! I think Centraloecetes kroyeranus given the striped feelers. I've never noticed those before but I'm a happy camper they're food for my mandarin when he finally moves to this tank