Weird Creepy Worm.. ID please?!?!

[thebkramer]

I'm popping in hoping to get LeslieH or someone else with some great knowledge of worms!
I found this thing awhile ago and have not been able to get an ID. Its really weird. I hope pics are good enough.
He shoots up to top of sand, spits stuff out and is gone in less than a sec!
Thanks for any help you can give!!!

On a side note.. look at this darn bristleworm I came across!!!

Scary right?!?

 

[TripleT]

I formally withdraw any concerns I may have posted about bristleworms in my tank today!

 

[TripleT]

On second thought.... cucumber?

 

[P'cola Reefer]

yeah that a cucumber next to the bristle worm but not sure what that is in the sand i cant really tell by the pic.

 

[LeslieH]

Scary? How could anyone be scared of such a cute, fuzzy-wuzzy, adorable worm? :inlove::inlove::inlove:

The worm in your sand is a polychaete in the family Nereididae. The big ones are called rag worms because the side appendages can get large & look like pieces of cloth flapping in the water current. This is a small species that will mostly stay out of sight, eating detritus and perhaps the occasional pod that wanders too close to the worm's burrow. Go to Chuck's Addiction http://www.chucksaddiction.com/ On the left-hand side click on links, hitch hikers, then worms, and scroll down to see images of other nereids.

 

[thebkramer]

Great.. thanks Leslie!! I thought that I saw a resemblence when I searched that site, but was unsure. At one point I was worried it was a Bobbit Worm lol but with more research found it was not.. <phew>
Thanks again!!

As for my big ol bristle.. I've named him Fred.. I enjoy watching him sneak around at night! He is about 12in in length and close to 1in wide! Unfortunately though.. my Starry Blenny decided he was ticked with him being in "his" area and bit him My Starry then looked like a puppy who attacked a porcupine!! He is ok now.. and hopefully will not do it again! lol