Weird worm in sand

EB707

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my wife just noticed this weird worm in the sand. Any idea what it is and if we should be worried about it.

 

IKD

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Can’t really see it beyond some movement. Most likely harmless and a good detrivore and sand stirrer for you though.
 

jkcoral

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Capture it and post close up photos if you can.

Sometimes they can be harmless spaghetti worms, but it only looks like a few short tentacles, which does raise the possibility of something more sinister.

Did you add live rock to your tank?
 
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EB707

EB707

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Capture it and post close up photos if you can.

Sometimes they can be harmless spaghetti worms, but it only looks like a few short tentacles, which does raise the possibility of something more sinister.

Did you add live rock to your tank?
Here is a more zoomed in video.
 

JoJosReef

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my wife just noticed this weird worm in the sand. Any idea what it is and if we should be worried about it.


Hard to tell, but it looks like two palps protruding from the worm hole, which might ne a spionid worm. They can be bothersome.
 

JoJosReef

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If you see more than 2 tentacles extending from the tube (they can sometimes be extending flat across the sand), then I'm inclined to say spaghetti worm like @jkcoral above. If there are only two, maybe spionid. Spaghetti worms a welcomed, honored guests in my tanks!
 

ISpeakForTheSeas

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In this case, it's probably a Chaetopterid worm - they're very similar to Spionid worms, but they tend to prefer burrowing in the sand instead of in the rocks, and they reportedly tend to have longer palps.

That said, I say probably because to make a proper ID involves removing the worm from its tube and getting pics of the body out of the tube, which just isn't feasible.

Generally, these aren't a problem unless their numbers start getting out of hand.
 

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