What is this worm in my tank? Turns to dust when touched!

[Whaledriver]

OK I was looking in the sump at the trickle plate and saw 4 worms that were wiggling around.
1 1/2 inch long
1/8 inch wide
They couldnt get through the filter plate holes
Turned to dust/silt when touched trying to get them out. I am talking instantly.
All thats left is a clear skin.
No obvious legs
Nothing new in tank since IMAC in the spring
Never seen in 4 year old tank with healthy live sand bed and fish

HELP

 

[RRafael]

sounds like snail poo....have any pics

 

[Whaledriver]

It was moveing rapidly. Kind of scarey actually. I couldnt get photos because they died quickly.
My best guess was that it was a breeding thing since the remains looked like small micro granuals along with the spine or shell. The spine or shell actualy moved after they exploded or disinigrated.

 

[Douglas LEHMAN]

Hello
I think, by the sound of it your describing tube building worms?
Grey/brown in color, tissue paper thin. The tubes are glued together detrius and harmless...

 

[Whaledriver]

NO this was a actual worm about 1/8 inch thick and solid. Really moving around too. Dark green in color. They just disintigrated. was it a way they spread there eggs?

 

[Teremei]

I know there are some type of worms that swim around real fast called polyencheate worms or something like that. They are very small but can really get going around breeding time. I have some of those in my refugium. I found out about them at Melev's.

 

[Whaledriver]

Breeding worms is my best guess. But it looks like the whole 1 1/2" worm was all eggs.

 

[jason9jay]

Some worms will break off a free-swimming section of the body that is crammed full of eggs. This section is just designed for egg dispersal...maybe thats what you saw...I'm not sure exactly what types of worms do this...I just remember it from zoology!

 

[Whaledriver]

That sounds like what it must be. I would never imagined a egg pod that could swim!!! It was hard to catch! Any info on this would be cool to read about.

 

[Whaledriver]

I saw another one last night flesh color
get this......
It was about 18 inches long!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
about the thickness of a round shoelace.!!!!!!!!!!!!
Never stopped moving, freaky frenzy corkscrew motion.
I also saw some little worms with the same movement so it must be breeding.

I think that if I put my hand in the tank it would bite me and burrow into a vain and go to my brain or did that happen in a movie?

 

[YolaKola]

YUCK....don't want any of those things around me.....they probably do burrow into human veins - go into the brain, and eat away.....is that what causes headaches???? Maybe it is a tequilla worm? Go get a beer instead!! Sorry - couldn't help myself!!!