Help ID this thing....

[sentencedme]

I can't post a pic due to the unavailability of the the creatures work schedule (saw it only one time before it hid after it saw the light). This thing is 4-5 inches now and hides in my live rock. It is black and about the width and length of 2 adult earthworms. It seemed to have about a hundred legs/small tentacles like a centipede (as a matter of fact it looked like a centipede). When I came home at 12:30 am under the influence I saw it when I turned on the light it quickly spooked into the live rock. Please send me photos or sites where I can ID this thing.....Thanks

 

[Capt_Cully]

Look like this??? It could be some type of Eunecid Worm. If that's the case, GET IT OUT!!! I had a mystery coral nipper for about 6 months. Late one night, I peeked in the tank to see this thing stretching most of the way across my 6 foot tank. That will definitely increase your sphincter tone.

Anyway, dissembled half the tank to get it out. Gave me the willies big time. But, no more phantom coral nipping. It went after softies, LPS, and SPS. Loved one of my plating Montiporas in particular.

It was about 4 feet long. My friend still has it in a separate tank at his house as a reef curiosity. I can't even look at it.

Here's another guy with a tale to tell about these sea serpents.

YECH!!!!

 

[Capt_Cully]

Sorry, here's the link for the other guys worm....

http://www.oregonreef.com/sub_worm.htm


P.S. check out his cold water reef. Insane!

 

[mnm1953]

I have something similar but in the above pictures it looks kind of smooth. Looks more like a worm. The one I have is more spiney and more hairy. Any ideas or a like to identifying this thing. Sentenceme I Don't mean to hijack this thread but we seem to have a similar critter.

 

[Capt_Cully]

Yours could be a bristle worm, but they don't get nearly as big as Eunecids. They are beneficial and I would leave it, if it's a bristle worm. You just don't want to touch it.

 

[sentencedme]

I was thinking it was a bristle worm.....seems familiar to your post....I can almost say that this is it but I was under the influence when I saw it....????? Had centipede legs that's for sure......Is this thing poisonous???? Will it cause harm in my paradise.....????? What's the worst case scenario???
I do have a FOWLR, so I'm not concerned about corals and such....
Thanks for you posts guys and gals if any....

 

[Capt_Cully]

Well, my friend....who is nuts by the way, has tried feeding it various corals and it has not taken to anything in particular. Like I said, it went after pretty much anything in my tank, coral-wise. I have not had any fishes go missing and it did not seem to take out any inverts that I know of. So if it's a FO system, you might be ok. But, if it were me, I'd dissemble what you can and get it out before it reaches the 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 foot mark.

Happy home now:

Before:

YECH!!!!!!!!!!!!