odd creature living in my sandbed. What is it?

mindcage133

New Member
Thanks for the reply. I figured it was harmless but in my ten'ish years I've kept salt and reef I've never seen anything like this. I'll get some complete pics up of the new 180 and sump.
 

cranberry

Active Member
That's actually a hair worm or cirratulid polychaete. These animals do not live in permanent tubes.... as you can see this one does not. The red gills are found all along the body whereas in the spaghetti worm (or terebellid polychaete) they are found in a "tuff" around the head. All the "tentacle" structures of the spaghetti worm also originate out of the head... or front, of the worm whereas in the hair worm they are all along the side.
But it's the same difference as far as their care is concerned....
 

bang guy

Moderator
Originally Posted by Cranberry
http:///forum/post/2822765
That's actually a hair worm or cirratulid polychaete. These animals do not live in permanent tubes.... as you can see this one does not. The red gills are found all along the body whereas in the spaghetti worm (or terebellid polychaete) they are found in a "tuff" around the head. All the "tentacle" structures of the spaghetti worm also originate out of the head... or front, of the worm whereas in the hair worm they are all along the side.
But it's the same difference as far as their care is concerned....
+1
One advantate of hair worms is that they can feed both above and below the sand bed. Spaghetti Worms (Terebellid) can only feed off surfaces.
 
Top