Mysterious Conveyor Belt Tentacles

[bdhough]

Yes thats what best describes what they do. They grab my sand and it moves up the tentacle like it has a built in conveyor belt. Very interesting to watch. The tentacles are in pairs and are clear white. They are roughly a half an inch to an inch long and about as thick as angel hair pasta if not smaller. They are taking some of the sand and building tubes. Its very interesting to watch. I imagine the tubes will be bigger in the morning. They are all over this rock i just got along with some other smaller tubes with multi tentacles.
Anyone know what the tentacle pairs are? I'm just curious to give them a name.

 

[snowbear]

I'm curious, too, so....*bump*

 

[ophiura]

Perhaps a spionid worm, which has two tentacles that either wave in the water or are set on the substrate.
Here are a few useful articles:
http://www.aquarium.net/1197/1197_1.shtml
http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/a...wb/default.asp
And if you REALLY want to go crazy:
http://rshimek.com/Invertebrate%20Ke...%20Worm%20Key.

 

[solandri]

Any chance you can take some pictures of these things? I'd love to see what you're talking about.
-Mike
westonm@sas.upenn.edu

 

[bdhough]

No i can't take any pictures. I have a feeling they are a form of tube worm since they have actually taken the sand and made tubes out of it. THey can also retract into the rock itself. They are just fascinating and don't seem to be hurting anything.

 

[ophiura]

Yes, they are a sort of worm in all likelihood. I still go with the spionid worm.