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View Full Version : Critter ID Please

mckeec
02/05/2006, 02:24 PM
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/38613worma.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/38613wormb.jpg

These came in on a coral and they are starting to multiply. They form white spirl cones and have antena that extend. They seem to cause a mucousy web around them. This disturbs me. Are these a problem? I am working with my flow to remove the webing that forms.
Avi
02/05/2006, 03:20 PM
Are they motile? Could you post a bigger photo?
AEALOVESHERGIRLS
02/05/2006, 04:50 PM
Looks like a pineapple sponge. Harmless filter feeder.
Paintbug
02/06/2006, 10:02 AM
looking at the pic i would say diffinatly not a pineapple sponge. they are not fuzzy at all. from the description, the sound like Spirorbid Worms. but the pic is not that great. how big are these things?
mckeec
02/06/2006, 10:10 AM
They do not move and form a white spirl shaped shell. The lower picture left hand corner is the cone of a turbo snail. Their shell is about 3/8" diameter. They are a type of worm that forms a calcium shell, but I have never seen one leave the shell. Don't think they can. The white thing in the pics are the shells and you can see their white antena protruding.
mckeec
02/06/2006, 10:17 AM
Don't think they are Spirorbid Worms. Look too big to me. I have Spirorbid Worms on the wall of my fuge and they are much smaller.
Paintbug
02/06/2006, 11:07 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6677448#post6677448 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mckeec
Don't think they are Spirorbid Worms. Look too big to me. I have Spirorbid Worms on the wall of my fuge and they are much smaller.

Spirorbid Worms can a long time in the wild. biologist have seen them upto 40 years old in the wild. so they could diffidently grow that big. and its possible that he has some old ones that hitchhiked on the LR.

but then theres the webs that he sees. that sounds like Vermetid Snails. then looking at the pics you can see 2 tenticles. that could be Spionidae or Chaetopteridae worms

any chance of a better, closer pic?
mckeec
02/06/2006, 11:10 AM
The ones in the photos have appeared in the last month or so. They were not always there. They have attached and grown to this size in a relatively short period of time.
Paintbug
02/06/2006, 11:14 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6677747#post6677747 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mckeec
The ones in the photos have appeared in the last month or so. They were not always there. They have attached and grown to this size in a relatively short period of time.
that rules out Spirorbid Worms then. dont think they can grow that fast :D i edited my last post re-read it.