What could this be? ID please...

[OneArmedBandit]

My tank is entering it's 3rd week of cycling and I noticed something emerging from my live rock yesterday. It is a very small (about 1/8" long) that emerges from a very small hole in the rock. It looks like a finger protruding from the rock. I touched it with a long probe yesterday and it quickly retracted into it's hole. It slowly re-emerged and spent most of the day out in the open. When I turned off the tank lights last night it retracted into it's hole also. I took a pic but it is very hard to see the thing. Any idea what this may be? Kinda cool to have something living in my tank already... -Steve

[talksalt]

Probably a blood worm, bristle worm or other worm of some sort.

[Travis L. Stevens]

Bristleworm or Peanut Worm most likely. Go ahead and post the picture if you can.

[luke33]

Sounds like an aptasia to me, if its coming out in the light and going in at dark its not a peanut or bristle worm.

[phenom5]

Feather duster?

[OneArmedBandit]

Here's the pic...



I forgot to mention that it's smooth and kind of pinkish in color. I actually just noticed another one too. -Steve

[phenom5]

It slowly re-emerged and spent most of the day out in the open.

I missed read that. I read out and open. Maybe not a feather duster.

Picture doesn't work for me...

[Nicholas89]

Hmm..I'd still guess some kind of peanut worm.

I had some of those awhile back before a tank crash and they would poke out and feel around (with lights on). Given I had a different kind of peanut worm..but still.

[OneArmedBandit]

These don't really feel around, they just reach out into the water away from the rock. One of them seems to have a black area on it (looks like the black spot is internal). -Steve

[OneArmedBandit]

HERE is a link to the pic.

I noticed that this morning these things were already "out" when I turned the lights on if that helps in the IDing any. -Steve

[stevelkaneval]

looks kinda like a bristle worm but hard to tell with the pic. is it skin colour, is the dark part like a band that is in the middle of the worm?

[OneArmedBandit]

Sorry for "trying" to post so many pics but here's a shot with Photobucket...


I've looked at pics of Aptasia and this doesn't really look like Aptasia to me...

It does seem to be skin color. The black area seems to be inside this thing, kind of like if something see-through swallowed something black, you'd see the black thing in the throat (clear as mud, I know)... -Steve

[ACBlinky]

I'd guess it's some type of worm. You could ask in the invert forum, LeslieH hangs out there and she's an expert on all things worm-related