ID This Worm

[Variant]

Found several of these worms in my live rock that come out at night. They seem to have a burrowed home in the rock and simply extend out at night for food while retreating back when scared.

Saw one on a coral and made me wonder if it were a pest of some kind of just another reef friendly critter that happened to take a stroll on a coral nearby.

 

[W1ngz]

Looks like an ordinary bristle worm to me. They wander around in and through the rocks and sand eating whatever leftovers and dirt they can find. Harmless, but you don't want to touch it with bare skin, it leaves an itchy rash.

 

[Variant]

Looks like an ordinary bristle worm to me. They wander around in and through the rocks and sand eating whatever leftovers and dirt they can find. Harmless, but you don't want to touch it with bare skin, it leaves an itchy rash.

Aren't bristleworms thick like 1/4"? This worm is more like 1/8" if not thinner. the macro shot might give a confused sense of scale.

 

[Variant]

Here is a picture of the worm curled up in a ball at the bottom of a small cup that's probably 1.5"-2" in diameter.

 

[W1ngz]

Worms often stretch themselves out thin when looking for food or a hole to crawl into.

 

[reef lover]

Dont think thats a bristle...maybe syllidae ....
@KJ

 

[lapin]

maybe a phyllodocid
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/rs/

 

[Variant]

maybe a phyllodocid
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/rs/

Going to say no to phyllodocid as the article states that they are not nocturnal and have little to no flight response. The ones in my tank are strictly nocturnal and an incredibly fast flight response. I can have tweezers ready to strike and they still manage to escape...

 

[KJ]

Look like Dorvilleidae.

 

[Variant]

Look like Dorvilleidae.

So far, this is the best candidate! If it is, seems like it's no a real threat to my tank.