what are they?

[Gary Majchrzak]

how many times do you see a thread like this from me?

these tubes (tubeworms?) are down in my sump's cryptic zone. The animal inside each fragile white tube appears as pink dots from the outside of the tube. I've never seen any "fan" (or anything else) stick out of the end of a tube but (obviously) that's how these filter feeders must grab foodstuff. Very delicate critters. Strong water motion can and will snap the animal off the rock.

macro. Animal visible inside tube.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

feeder fans spotted!

feeder fans spotted!

so they're a type of featherduster...........

 

[Henry Colf]

I have them growing in my display on the bottom side of the rocks. I will tell you from experience that you can cut your hand open on their chutes....

 

[dreaminmel]

Glad you saw fans Gary! W/out those or wormy extensions being visible, I was as stumped as you.

 

[RyanEG]

I stabbed myself in the finger with one of them when I first got into the hobby. It took over a year to heal and there is still a lump where it was.

 

[tmz]

Sharp for sure and painful like paper cuts.

 

[lcs]

I have those on the underside of a few rocks I think. Don't have a lens to get a good close shot. I don't think I've ever seen a crown, so they might be different.

 

[tmz]

I believe they are called Spirorbids. But Sprirobidae is a family that contains many species of worms with calcareous tubes including the little spiral worms sometimes found on the glass. Calfo and Fenner inReef Inverebrates have a picture of the ones you and I have and identify them as spirorbids.

 

[talon4x4]

I have tons of those in my overflow. Also have some new type of worm or something in a tube in the overflow. The tube looks like it would be long but its all coiled up. I'll have to snap a pic.

 

[Kent E]

I'm late chiming in here, and don't have the scientific name but I've had them for years and assumed they were a fanworm.

 

[TechStar]

I as well have a ton of those on my LR in my sump, and even some in my tank.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

great- we all have them but nobody knows what they are!

I need to research species of Spirorbids, Tom.
I'm not sure that's what these guys are.


Whatever they are... their tubes are extremely delicate and they don't hurt my hands.