What are these white/transparent worms

[itelshot]

The video shows one (there are several, at least on this rock) white/transparent worm. I have never seen one of these before. I saw them at night - maybe they are nocturnal and come out of the cave when it is dark. Cam can be called and how harmful, beneficial.

 

[DDenny]

Interesting. I want to know also.

 

[kevgib67]

Hard to tell but kinda look like the arms of my micro brittle stars that stick out of the crevices of my rocks. @ISpeakForTheSeas ?

 

[itelshot]

Hard to tell but kinda look like the arms of my micro brittle stars that stick out of the crevices of my rocks. @ISpeakForTheSeas ?

Hmmm, still don't think it's kinda asterinas. Let me take another shot. I can stretch so long. Upd: ****, it reacts on light, difficult to take a video

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Probably a Sipunculan (peanut worm) - harmless/beneficial if so. Translucent coloration is pretty uncommon for peanut worms from what I've seen, but I know it shows up in at least a few species.

 

[itelshot]

Probably a Sipunculan (peanut worm) - harmless/beneficial if so. Translucent coloration is pretty uncommon for peanut worms from what I've seen, but I know it shows up in at least a few species.

Isn't it who eat wood on ships and mangrove forests?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Isn't it who eat wood on ships and mangrove forests?

No - you're probably thinking of the inaccurately named "Shipworms" (taxonomic family Teredinidae) which are actually bivalves.

 

[itelshot]

Interesting. I want to know also.

Hard to tell but kinda look like the arms of my micro brittle stars that stick out of the crevices of my rocks. @ISpeakForTheSeas ?

Probably a Sipunculan (peanut worm) - harmless/beneficial if so. Translucent coloration is pretty uncommon for peanut worms from what I've seen, but I know it shows up in at least a few species.

Yeah, it's maybe Sipunculan. Also i can see, i think, a mouth same as in the internet... In the end of the video i shoved worms tentacles that can build houses from grains, but it's definitely not them. Sipunculan i see in the first time

(Video still loading)

1.https://youtu.be/FgNwLm4ggeQ?si=4ErnXiTAIGjT8cZZ

2. And what worm is on the photo? It also has tentacles, but kinda thin and with white dots:

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Yeah, it's maybe Sipunculan. Also i can see, i think, a mouth same as in the internet... In the end of the video i shoved worms tentacles that can build houses from grains, but it's definitely not them. Sipunculan i see in the first time

(Video still loading)

1.https://youtu.be/FgNwLm4ggeQ?si=4ErnXiTAIGjT8cZZ

2. And what worm is on the photo? It also has tentacles, but kinda thin and with white dots:

Looks like a digitate hydroid.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Yeah, that video looks like a peanut worm to me - the things in the new pic are digitate hydroids.

 

[itelshot]

Yeah, that video looks like a peanut worm to me - the things in the new pic are digitate hydroids.

Also harmless, as i know?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Also harmless, as i know?

They could potentially cause issues if they spread (so most people would probably suggest removal), but the kind you have should be pretty harmless in small numbers.

 

[itelshot]

They could potentially cause issues if they spread (so most people would probably suggest removal), but the kind you have should be pretty harmless in small numbers.

Why it can be harming in large amounts? Seems like thay in opposite - cleaners, particle catchers

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Why it can be harming in large amounts? Seems like thay in opposite - cleaners, particle catchers

They reportedly (I can't personally confirm or deny this at the moment) may sting corals, so if they're spreading, they may spread to a location where they could sting something.

 

[Oiseaufeu]

They could potentially cause issues if they spread (so most people would probably suggest removal), but the kind you have should be pretty harmless in small numbers.

How do peanut worms reproduce? I have one or 2 in my tank since starting it.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

How do peanut worms reproduce? I have one or 2 in my tank since starting it.

With very limited exceptions, through sexual reproduction - they're gonochoristic (i.e. male or female) broadcast spawners; so you'd need one male and one female worm for them to spawn (I only know of three or four exceptions).

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Hmmm, still don't think it's kinda asterinas. Let me take another shot. I can stretch so long. Upd: ****, it reacts on light, difficult to take a video

Just a clarification, micro brittle stars are different than asterinas.

 

[Oiseaufeu]

With very limited exceptions, through sexual reproduction - they're gonochoristic (i.e. male or female) broadcast spawners; so you'd need one male and one female worm for them to spawn (I only know of three or four exceptions).

Thanks! I was wondering this because I have peanut worms. I don’t have a photo of the one that I have on my new phone, but I’ll find one on my old phone.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

They reportedly (I can't personally confirm or deny this at the moment) may sting corals, so if they're spreading, they may spread to a location where they could sting something.

I have some growing on my pectinia

They don't seem to be bothering it


(Thanks for the help with the ID BTW)

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

I have some growing on my pectinia

They don't seem to be bothering it


(Thanks for the help with the ID BTW)

Yeah, digitate hydroids can be helpful to some corals - as mentioned, I've heard they can sting others, but I can't confirm if that's true or not at this point.