Darn Worms!

[mgregg99]

I have these worms that live in my live rock and are everywhere. I never see the worms, but they extend these long tentacles, some over 12 inches long, all over the place looking for food. There are so many tentacles stretched out over everything it looks like cobwebs. I can't say that they're damaging any of my corals, but they're creating a huge mess at the base of the rocks they're in with all the detrius they're creating from digging deeper into the rocks. I've had large rocks, some as big as 15 pounds actually split in half from the fractures caused by the worms.

Anyone know what they are and if they can be eliminated?

I'd take a photo, but the tentacles don't show up very well.

Thanks!

Mike

[fishysteve]

How thick are the tentacles? What color are they?

[mgregg99]

The tentacles are clear with a bit of banding. I'd say they're no thicker than thread. It's amazing how long these stretch out, and how many come from one tube!

Mike

[fishysteve]

Spaghetti worms maybe. However I didn't think they got that long.

[Salamander]

Sure sounds like spaghetti worms to me. A pretty good addition if you ask me. Good detrivours.

[Lpabsolute]

I agree with the above.....got any pics?

[Sk8r]

Sounds to me as if one species has had a bit of a population bloom. You may need to underfeed for a while, or maybe import a predator---would a 6 line take these on?

[z_rivers]

sounds like vermetid snails, they produce white mucous strings that almost look like cobwebs blowing around. do a search for them.

[mgregg99]

Thanks, everyone! I think spaghetti worms is the correct answer after doing some research on them. Good news is that they sound like a fine addition to the system. I just wish I could do something about the mess they make, or the fact that they're causing some rocks to crack apart.

Maybe I'll try looking for a fish that might like to snack on them.

Mike