wwhat is this worm... or should i say worms

[lockus]

I have been seeing these worms on the glass only. They move rather slow may be 1" every hour or so. Thought they might be "Cirratulid" or hair worms as seen on page 223 of "Marine Invertebrates" pocket guide by Ronald Shimek. The pic in the guide displays them in a cluster and describes them as being in the sandbed.

My fish seen to have no interest in them.

What do ya think.

-Ryan

<a href="http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g173/lockus13/?action=view&current=P9090068.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g173/lockus13/P9090068.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[Logzor]

They look like baby bristleworms. I will see these every so often swimming in a spiral in the water column.

 

[billsreef]

Ryan,

You got the ID of Cirratulid right

 

[charlesr1958]

Agreed, a very common "hair worm" species. Good little members of any detrivore crew.

Chuck

 

[Toni Mitchell]

Oh ! my goodness I though these were red flat worms.
I looked at one with a micoscope and it has pinchers on one end of
it's body.
So I have been killing them on the glass every a.m.
Did you say that they are safe?

kiki

 

[charlesr1958]

Pinchers? Can you post a good macro photo of one of them?

Chuck