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View Full Version : Spewing Bristle worms?


MarkD40
07/06/2010, 09:01 AM
I was cleaning my frag tank yesterday and noticed something odd. The bottom of the tank has a rubble of 2-3" coral fragments. I was vacuuming the bottom to clear detritis and also grab the numerous bristle worms with tweezers to remove them. Several times a plume of thick tan material was ejected fro under the rock that quickly dissipated in the water column. When I turned over the rock there was a 3" X 1/4" fat bristle worm that clearly was the source of the emission. What is this stuff?

noahm
07/06/2010, 09:12 AM
It may be a defense mechanism. Just a guess. 3 feet is a pretty big bristle. Congrats.

MarkD40
07/06/2010, 09:22 AM
Oops. That should have read 3 INCHES! I thought of that but When this occurs it is away from where I am working. That is I hadn't disturbed that area yet. This happened four separate times.

noahm
07/06/2010, 09:37 AM
Dunno. I have various filter feeders that periodically spit up waste into the water column, but am not familiar with bristles doing it.

Levito
07/06/2010, 11:58 AM
Just a guess, but it could also be attempted reproduction.