Sand tubes

[lakee911]

I've found a couple of, only what I can describe as 'sand tubes' in my new DSB. They're soft, flexible and remind me of like a termite mud tunnel. One is up against a rock and the other kind of in the open.

What are they?


<a href="http://www.ipixelspot.com/files/view/8/DSCN0713.JPG" title="DSCN0713.JPG"> <img src="http://www.ipixelspot.com/files/8/DSCN0713_thumb.jpg" alt="DSCN0713.JPG" /> </a> <a href="http://www.ipixelspot.com/files/view/8/DSCN0714.JPG" title="DSCN0714.JPG"> <img src="http://www.ipixelspot.com/files/8/DSCN0714_thumb.jpg" alt="DSCN0714.JPG" /> </a>
Click on the pics for larger version.

Thanks!

 

[reefez]

those are like a burrowing sand worm. I can't remember the exact name but are harmless. They use the sand and their own seliva to make the hard tube. Harmless for your reef.

 

[lakee911]

Hmm...cool Anyone know the name?

 

[lakee911]

morning bump

 

[LeslieH]

Those tubes could belong to any one of many different species. Impossible to say which without a look at the inhabitant.

 

[lakee911]

How do I do that? Do I need to dig one out? Would he be ok if I did that?

Jason

 

[LeslieH]

Yes, dig one or more out & put it into a small bowl filled with seawater. Apply pressure to the tube starting at one end (like a tube of toothpaste) to gently force the inhabitant to come out. I use micro-forceps for this; you can use toothpicks, one to hold it down & one to apply pressure. The one in your photo looked empty in which case there's no way to know what was living inside.

 

[lakee911]

Will it hurt them?

 

[cloak]

Phyllochaetopterus sp.

Got those in my tank also and the picture in The Modern Coral Reef Aquarium Vol 3 looks similiar. People sometimes refer to them as "spaghetti" worms.

Hope this helps.

 

[LeslieH]

Not so fast! Those aren't typical Phyllochaetopterus tubes. If they even belong to a polychaete they could also be home to spionids, oweniids, maldanids, capitellids, etc., etc., etc. They could be crustacean, be nemertean..... lots of things. Spagetti worms are terebellids. Chaetopterids only have 2 feeding appendages; terebellids have many.

You won't hurt it. Start by putting pressure in the flat end & slowly move upwards. The inhabitant - if it's still there - will be in the inflated area. Another way is to gently tear the tube apart (again starting at a flat end) but you need micro-forceps for that.

 

[T Man]

Re: Sand tubes

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9252995#post9252995 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lakee911
I've found a couple of, only what I can describe as 'sand tubes' in my new DSB. They're soft, flexible and remind me of like a termite mud tunnel. One is up against a rock and the other kind of in the open.

What are they?[ QUOTE]


Howdy Lakee911, I had asked the same question in a thread awhile back, I was told that snails left these tubes. This thread has answered my question even further.
What type of substrate is in your tank, it looks real fine. Is it glass bead? TinMan

Here is what I posted, it looks identical to your's. T

 

[lakee911]

Interesting. I might dissect them soon. I need some forceps first.
What you have there looks very similiar. TinMan. Yours look a little stiffer than mine though. The one in the open looks rigid and mine is kind of floppy.

Thx
Jason

 

[LeslieH]

A lot of marine animals produce long strings or beads of feces that are held together by mucus so that's another good possibility.