Plant like worm?

[RichardP]

Hi all.

I've only just started my tank and I'm maturing with live rock. :?

One of the rocks has a strange plant like worm poking out through a few holes. It retracts back into the rock when it feel threatened. (Didn't believe the wife when she said she saw it!!)

The biggest is about the size of a thumb nail.

Sorry if it's in the Hitchhikers FAQ ... I did look first but not sure about it.

Also not too sure about adding images so I've put it as an attachment :roll:

... Could you also let me know if I should be adding liquid food for it now... (Tank only running for 8 days so no where near mature!) .... Also do you think it will survive?

Sorry again about all the questions....

Thanks

Richard

[steve1s]

They are very common type of feather duster you will find off and on in the rock. It's called a sedentary polychaete. They are harmless filter feeders.

[Pineapple House]

Agreed with Steve. From my experience, they tend to die out during the cycle, but will come back quickly once the tank starts maturing. It will feed out of the water column anything that gets traped in it's feather-like tentacles, incluing ditritus, plankton (zooplankton & phytoplankton), as well as other drifting matter.

PH =)

[RichardP]

Thanks steve1s and Pineapple House.

I was expecting the odd snail (which a got :) ) or something from the live rock but not a feather duster. Especially one which retracts so quickly :o

R.

[Samurai]

I just noticed one of those guys in my tank today. I'm dumfounded that it has lived so long. In addition to the curing of the live rock and running it under water and having it sit in a bag for a couple of days after I brought the LR home from the LFS, it's also surved improper salinity levels and all kinds of chemical balances. I have two dead shrimp in there cycling the tank for me, so I really hope that this guy doesn't die. It's exciting to have some live animals in my tank. It's amazing how shy it is too. 8)

[RichardP]

I've found recently that the rock on which I spotted the worm, also has another four of them on it!! One is quite large now, prob about 1.5 inches in diameter. There's also something else starting to appear on that rock. (Like a brown fungus with white lines through it).

They can get pretty brave after they are settled. Mine has decided it likes being out perhaps it won't be so brave when I get the fish and critters in there. :D

R.