Found alien in my tank

[BairCorals]

Hi all, my blues just came on and was adding some nori when i saw this alien shooting small clouds of white around. So i immediatly removed and never seen this thing on planet earth. Anyone knows what it is? Should i contact men in black, should i change my name, or just throw it in the dumpster like a prom night mistake? Dont know the father and havent added anything to the tank without dipping and extreme prejudice with a magnifier.
Any help is appreciated

 

[steveschuerger]

Spaghetti worm I think. If so it’s fine to leave it in.

 

[CBonito]

I've never seen one either. I would honestly prefer to not see things like this. LOL

As long as it's not one of those fang tooth predator looking things, I wont have to burn my house down.

 

[Brit’s Fish]

Spaghetti worm for sure. Harmless CUC that will eat anything left on the sand. I’m guessing the white stuff was him spawning, so congratulations! It’s a boy!
There are probably more that you don’t know about and they will wax and wane with the amount of food available. Halichoeres wrasses will pick at them also.

 

[BairCorals]

Spaghetti worm I think. If so it’s fine to leave it in.

After looking that up I think it's a hair worm. Really similar just more gills all over its body. Thanks much for getting me into the right direction! Appreciate it!

 

[BairCorals]

I've never seen one either. I would honestly prefer to not see things like this. LOL

As long as it's not one of those fang tooth predator looking things, I wont have to burn my house down.

Yeah I about throw the tank into the street when it was shooting its love juices into the water. Just a whole lotta nope when I saw that

 

[BairCorals]

Spaghetti worm for sure. Harmless CUC that will eat anything left on the sand. I’m guessing the white stuff was him spawning, so congratulations! It’s a boy!
There are probably more that you don’t know about and they will wax and wane with the amount of food available. Halichoeres wrasses will pick at them also.

Thanks much! I haven't been feeding a whole lot so maybe that's why it decided to show its faces. I do frozen mysis and reef roids once a week and auto feed like 10 pellets twice a day. Maybe a good time to siphon the sandbed and see whats going on.
Would they live in the sump with no sand? I got plenty of detritus they could eat in there lol

 

[Brit’s Fish]

Thanks much! I haven't been feeding a whole lot so maybe that's why it decided to show its faces. I do frozen mysis and reef roids once a week and auto feed like 10 pellets twice a day. Maybe a good time to siphon the sandbed and see whats going on.
Would they live in the sump with no sand? I got plenty of detritus they could eat in there lol

Oh yeah, when food gets scarce in my sandbed, I have found them walking up the glass in search of detritus or anything else they can eat. They’d be more than happy in the sump, I think.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

After looking that up I think it's a hair worm. Really similar just more gills all over its body. Thanks much for getting me into the right direction! Appreciate it!

Thank you!! I get tired of always being the one correcting people... HAIR worms are very common in our tanks. Spaghetti worms, not so much. And if the tentacles are brown/reddish it's almost 100% gonna be a hair worm

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Yeah I about throw the tank into the street when it was shooting its love juices into the water. Just a whole lotta nope when I saw that

Although they, like other similar critters, will show themselves in public more if food is in short supply, if you see a smaller/thinner version on the glass, that's probably an epitoke. An epitoke is essentially the part of the worm with sex organs that forms and then separates from the rest of the asexual body - the atoke - and merrily goes out into the world to spawn.

 

[Paul B]

There is no place in my tank where I don't have dozens of those spaghetti worms. I like them..Especially with tomato sauce.

 

[BairCorals]

Thank you!! I get tired of always being the one correcting people... HAIR worms are very common in our tanks. Spaghetti worms, not so much. And if the tentacles are brown/reddish it's almost 100% gonna be a hair worm

Verrrry red! And all over the body not just out the head from what I saw. Thanks again!

 

[BairCorals]

Although they, like other similar critters, will show themselves in public more if food is in short supply, if you see a smaller/thinner version on the glass, that's probably an epitoke. An epitoke is essentially the part of the worm with sex organs that forms and then separates from the rest of the asexual body - the atoke - and merrily goes out into the world to spawn.

Well that's probably what I'm seeing in my 10gal then. Not seeing any of those in my 60 yet, but imagine they're around the corner!

 

[BairCorals]

There is no place in my tank where I don't have dozens of those spaghetti worms. I like them..Especially with tomato sauce.

Gonna bust out the prego tonight! Haha

 

[Brit’s Fish]

Thank you!! I get tired of always being the one correcting people... HAIR worms are very common in our tanks. Spaghetti worms, not so much. And if the tentacles are brown/reddish it's almost 100% gonna be a hair worm

I never realized there was a difference until now. I’ve learned a lot from you over the years, @EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal

 

[WheatToast]

That is the fattest blenny I have ever seen .

 

[Paul B]

That is the fattest blenny I have ever seen .

Thats because thats Mrs. Bleeny.