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AIX
10/03/2006, 08:05 PM
Hi guys,
Our tank just started cycling a few days ago, and we've noticed this thing coming out of our live rock (we have a mix of tonga and figi). Not sure what it is, looks like some kind of worm...any ideas?

http://metalhordes.com/misc/whatisit.wmv

also...we noticed alot of small aphid like things crawling around our rock...too small to get a picture of. Anyone know what these are?

Thanks
Andrew
10/03/2006, 08:17 PM
[welcome]

I'm waiting on the video to load right now but check out this thread and see if it helps ID it for you.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=354760&perpage=25&pagenumber=1
DSMpunk
10/03/2006, 08:44 PM
Im not sure, but my first guess would be some sort of sponge. As far as the aphid things, they are probably just pods (a good thing)
AIX
10/03/2006, 10:00 PM
Thanks for the welcome, I also failed to mention that this "thing" stretches and retracts depending on lighting conditions, do sponges do these things? I hope this helps.
Peter Eichler
10/03/2006, 11:34 PM
Looks a little like what is often called a snake polyp. Hard to say for sure though. Also, I'd suggest going through and ripping the stick looking things off the rocks as well as anything that resembles a sponge or algae.
DSMpunk
10/03/2006, 11:49 PM
If its a sponge then it wouldn't retract and stretch. Guess I was wrong =p
Aquabucket
10/04/2006, 12:21 AM
Its a tip of a peanut worm. The large part of the worm lives in a burrow inside the rock. It will retract if you disturb it.

http://www.beachwatchers.wsu.edu/ezidweb/animals/images/sipuncstitched.jpg

http://www.beachwatchers.wsu.edu/ezidweb/animals/Sipunculids.htm

These rock burrowing worms create pockets of of water inside the rock which facilitate beneficial denitrifying bacteria colonies.
AIX
10/04/2006, 08:35 AM
Thanks Aquabucket, that is exactly what it looks like! This morning it was no longer in its hole in the rock, I found it half way across the tank in the sand next to another rock.
Thanks for all the info guys!
Paintbug
10/04/2006, 08:59 AM
deffinitly a peanut worm. very interesting creatures. great detrius eaters, great for the tank. the reason it moved is proably becuse he kept getting hit in the head with that stick LOL.