Feather Duster Length

[Tobin VP]

I noticed a glob of what appeared to be filter floss in my tank this morning (see image below). I tried to pull it out and realized it was attached to what appears to be a slimy worm that travelled into the sand and under a rock. My feather duster is in that same rock. When I pull on it the feather duster eventually responded by closing.

Does anyone know what this could be? Is it the tail of my feather duster? Shocked that it could grow this much ... how long do they get? It started at 1.5" 6 months ago ... this would be on the order of 4 " now.

Is the filter floss-like ball excrement? Or is it possibly reproductive?

Or is this possibly some other worm?

(photo of floss-like ball firmly attached to a worm that travels in the gravel and under a rock)

 

[Tobin VP]

Follow up: I magnified what I thought was floss-like ball and it is actually a ball of thick jelly material with specks in it. I assume this is reproductive at this point.

Anyone confirm this with a feather duster?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Follow up: I magnified what I thought was floss-like ball and it is actually a ball of thick jelly material with specks in it. I assume this is reproductive at this point.

Anyone confirm this with a feather duster?

Picture is way too blue to be able to tell you anything...

 

[Tobin VP]

I just came across this reference:

Feather duster worms reproduce both sexually and asexually. Soft tube varieties reproduce sexually, but many form dense colonies of clones by a budding process called scissipary. In this process the posterior end of the worm breaks off and develops a new crown while the “parent” grows a new posterior.

And this reference:

I somehow have been lucky enough to have one of my feather dusters spawn in my tank. It started when my largest one was 'smoking' and the whole tank would be cloudy from it releasing it's sperm or whatever (not much info out there on them breeding!) after a couple days of it smoking, it stopped and everything appeared normal. Until a couple weeks later I have a baby feather duster in my sand right next to the big one! Its def not one of those smaller dusters, its a mini version of my bigger one, color and all.

I am now thinking that I'm getting another Feather Duster!

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I just came across this reference:


And this reference:


I am now thinking that I'm getting another Feather Duster!

All I see is a blue blob

 

[Tobin VP]

Picture is way too blue to be able to tell you anything...

Yeah sorry ... terrible lighting on first photo. Here's another photo below.

The jelly-like sack connects to what I think is the posterior of the adult worm. The references above suggest that in a few weeks I may have a small worm here in the gravel. Very cool.

 

[Robatusan]

That's cool!
But what's this happy thing?

 

[Kasrift]

That's cool!
But what's this happy thing?

Snail shell upside down.