ID for tiny sand worm

[taylormaximus]

Found this little guy making trails through my sandbed, it's no more than 5 mm long, has two eyes and mandables, as well as front grabbers that resemble what a shrimp has, and then the rest of its body is long and shrimp like. I'm hoping it's a type of pod, but I'm worried it's a bristle worm larva as I've been having problems with them lately. Not sure it quite matches the description though. Either way I found a few more making tunnels in my sand so definitely curious about what these are. Friend or foe??

 

[Soren]

Can't say for sure, but it looks to me like a Gammarid Amphipod. If so, these are typically considered harmless clean-up crew that are great food for some fish.

Around the 37-second mark on your video, it turns around and seems to have several pairs of legs along the body underside, so I am fairly sure it is some kind of amphipod/shrimp/copepod.

 

[exnisstech]

Interesting critter for sure. Maybe @ISpeakForTheSeas can help out

 

[Crabs McJones]

Agree i don't think it's a worm, looks like a shrimp of some sort possibly

 

[taylormaximus]

Can't say for sure, but it looks to me like a Gammarid Amphipod. If so, these are typically considered harmless clean-up crew that are great food for some fish.

Around the 37-second mark on your video, it turns around and seems to have several pairs of legs along the body underside, so I am fairly sure it is some kind of amphipod/shrimp/copepod.

It could be, although it seems straighter and more centipede shaped than a curved shrimp shape, unless its a juvenile one. I feel like the distinct tubes through the sand it makes would be helpful in IDing it (visible right at the start of the video). When I disturbed it it actually held its shape a bit, suggesting it's an actual structure the critter made.

 

[taylormaximus]

After a quick google, a tanaid shrimp look really close to what I'm looking at, and sounds like they make tubes in the sandbed. Seems likely it could either be that or something closely related. Still unsure if they pose an issue or not.

 

[Soren]

After a quick google, a tanaid shrimp look really close to what I'm looking at, and sounds like they make tubes in the sandbed. Seems likely it could either be that or something closely related. Still unsure if they pose an issue or not.

I think you got it, I forgot about tanaid shrimp. It did look different than an amphipod to me, though that was the closest I could think of. Also, the head and front claws of yours look distinctly similar to a tanaid shrimp and not much like an amphipod.

 

[taylormaximus]

I think you got it, I forgot about tanaid shrimp. It did look different than an amphipod to me, though that was the closest I could think of. Also, the head and front claws of yours look distinctly similar to a tanaid shrimp and not much like an amphipod.

I had never heard of them until now, they must be less common in the reefing world. Do you know if they're good to keep around? I'm fine with them I just have concerns with them (or anything) spreading to plague proportions!

 

[Reefgirly]

It won’t let me play the video but from the comments this sounds like something similar I just found. Did you ever find out what this was?

 

[Reefgirly]

Maybe a tandid shrimp?

 

[Kasrift]

I think @Soren and @Reefgirly are on the right track with tanaid shrimp. I'd never heard of them, but looks spot on.

I thought it might be an infant mantis shrimp.