ID on these worms in my reef tank sand

safi

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Hi all, is anyone able to tell me what these worm like things are in my sand bed?

I was doing a water change and disturbed just the top layer of sand with the syphon. Ive always done this and Ive never had a problem or seen them before! Theres is a lot!! I can’t see them otherwise and they had all disappeared again after I had finished cleaning etc.

They are very thin and when some attached to the glass i noticed they have what look like 2 long thin antenna like a V shape at the top end. Does anyone know what they are please and if I should leave them be? Thanks
 

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@IKD did i do the youtube video link right?
Yep, video link is perfect. I would venture these are either detritus worms or a type of nematode. I don’t believe these are harmful to fish/coral and populations disappear over time on their own (becoming fish food or running out of food).
 

Labridaedicted

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Haven't seen nematodes like that in a tank before. Any number of things will eat them though. By in large nematodes feed on detritus or microscopic food.

Butterflies loooooove these guys.
 
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safi

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Yep, video link is perfect. I would venture these are either detritus worms or a type of nematode. I don’t believe these are harmful to fish/coral and populations disappear over time on their own (becoming fish food or running out of food).
Yeh i was thinking detritus worms. All parameters are good and everyones well and accounted for so i will leave them be.
thanks very much
 
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safi

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Really interesting. Thanks for sharing. I can definitely see fish gobbling these up; did they?
Only have 2 clowns and a blenny the rest are crabs, snails and a shrimp. I watched for a while after i first saw the worms but didn’t notice if they were being eaten. I am due another water change tomorrow and will be using the syphon to clean the top of the sand again so i will take more notice if the fish show any interest in them!
 
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safi

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Haven't seen nematodes like that in a tank before. Any number of things will eat them though. By in large nematodes feed on detritus or microscopic food.

Butterflies loooooove these guys.
I do have a tendancy to overfeed! I cant help it, the clowns are greedy and gobble it all up that fast the poor blenny waits for some food to fall down to him but the clowns get to it first! So i worry he wont get enuff so i put more in.

Have these worms come in on some coral? I have a GSP and 2 fuzzy mushrooms but i dipped them all before I put them in my tank!
 

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They could have come in on rocks or coral but they're found in virtually all tanks in some quantity. A very important and natural part of the Ecosystem. In tanks like mine with wrasses, butterflies, angels and the like that pick at the rocks you won't see them because if they show their faces, they get eaten.

Your system has less fish of that nature and with the good feedings, they just have good conditions to thrive in. I wouldn't worry about them unless they just gross you out because they're just eating the extra food that sinks down (free cleanup crew and fish snacks) and they are harmless.
 
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Haven't seen nematodes like that in a tank before. Any number of things will eat them though. By in large nematodes feed on detritus or microscopic food.

Butterflies loooooove these guys.
I do have a tendancy to overfeed! I cant help it, the clowns are greedy and gobble it all up that fast the poor blenny waits for some food to fall down to him but the clowns get to it first! So i worry he wont get enuff so i put more in.

Have these worms come in on some coral? I have a GSP and 2 fuzzy mushrooms but i dipped them all before I put them in my tank
They could have come in on rocks or coral but they're found in virtually all tanks in some quantity. A very important and natural part of the Ecosystem. In tanks like mine with wrasses, butterflies, angels and the like that pick at the rocks you won't see them because if they show their faces, they get eaten.

Your system has less fish of that nature and with the good feedings, they just have good conditions to thrive in. I wouldn't worry about them unless they just gross you out because they're just eating the extra food that sinks down (free cleanup crew and fish snacks) and they are harmless.
I was a little horrified at first but then I actually found them quite fascinating to watch. I was more worried about them being harmful to the tank. I’ll just leave them be then if they are good guys.

I also spotted what look like copepods running around the tank the other night before I went to bed! I had given up on them after adding a few bags at least half dozen times over the past few months and not seeing any sign of them afterwards (I always sit and watch the tank with the lights off before I go to bed for a while). I was beginning to think the fish had eaten them all but theres quite a population and of different sizes so I’m chuffed!
 

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Based on the movement displayed in the video, I'd say detritus worms and nematodes are a good guess - two long tentacles on the head doesn't quite sound like either of those to my knowledge though. That said, I'd imagine getting a close up, clear photo of the tentacles would be rather difficult, given how small they are, and I agree that these guys likely are some kind of harmless, interstitial species - so I don't know that getting a clear photo necessary for your purposes either.
 
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safi

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Based on the movement displayed in the video, I'd say detritus worms and nematodes are a good guess - two long tentacles on the head doesn't quite sound like either of those to my knowledge though. That said, I'd imagine getting a close up, clear photo of the tentacles would be rather difficult, given how small they are, and I agree that these guys likely are some kind of harmless, interstitial species - so I don't know that getting a clear photo necessary for your purposes either.
Thanks, if I can get a closer pic next time I see them I will update and post it. It was when they were on the glass that the 2 tentacles stood out more. I am doing another water change tomorrow and I like to use the syphon to hoover some of the crap off the sand so I ‘ll see what happens!
 
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