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-   -   Looks like little snakes,ID? (https://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1278033)

3D-Reef 12/24/2007 12:50 AM

Looks like little snakes,ID?
 
Hey!,
The Wife and I were watching TV and all of a sudden the Wife screams "What's that?". So I look and there is these two little snake like (worms?)swimming around.Here is some bad pic's;
[IMG]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/3D-Reef/greenworms.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/3D-Reef/greenworms2.jpg[/IMG]

Does anyone know if I should keep them or not?

NanoReefWanabe 12/24/2007 02:50 PM

what colour are they?

they kinda look like peanut worms...but i have never seen mine swim around...

and if you found two...i am certain you will find more...

3D-Reef 12/24/2007 10:18 PM

They were green,about 2.5-3" long.But after posting I looked and they had lost their 'green'.Also they split into about 6 smaller worms.With a magnifing glass the green stuff looks like tiny green eggs and the worms look like beaten up bristle worms.

LeslieH 12/24/2007 11:09 PM

That's exactly what they are. These swimmers are polychaetes (or their posterior regions) that become modified as they mature sexually. The modified forms are called epitokes. When fully mature & full of eggs or sperm they swim up into the water to release the gametes. I suspect these particular ones are the epitokous rear portions of small eunicid worms.

keithntracy 12/25/2007 10:08 PM

This entire thread gives me the creeps....:eek2: ...lol

3D-Reef 12/25/2007 10:11 PM

:D Very intresting!!Thanks!

NanoReefWanabe 12/26/2007 11:06 PM

eunucids are one of the worst worms to find your tank arent they?

acan_guy 12/27/2007 02:38 AM

May be a Palolo sp.

LeslieH 12/27/2007 11:57 AM

Big eunicids can be bad, small ones usually aren't. Palolo worms are eunicids and are responsible for a big part of the bioerosion that breaks down dead coral on reefs.


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