White Free Swimming Worm

[overhead]

I turned off the return pump and wave pump when I fed the tank this morning and the timer failed to turn them back on. About two hours later I was walking by the tank and noticed the pumps were off and also noticed hundreds of the things in the video and picture below in the water column free swimming. It appeared some were on rocks as well, looked like hermit crabs were enjoying a snack. Not sure if it matters, but it is a Biocube that has been up since March, currently has trochus, ceriths, hermits, peppermint shrimp, clownfish, watchman goby, and pistol shrimp. A couple of days ago nitrate were 19 and phosphate was .22. Tried to do a little research, but it seems most of what I am seeing would indicate this type of thing usually happens in the dark, not with the lights on. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[The Ugly Phase]

they look cool lets hope there good guys

 

[Gumbies R Us]

@ISpeakForTheSeas

 

[overhead]

More of them when I turned off the pumps today, but not as many. I may try to grab one to get it under a microscope later today if I have time.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

@ISpeakForTheSeas

Swimming worms is usually going to be epitoke (essentially bristleworm reproductive parts), but there are a few worms that can swim like this regularly as well.

Definitely some intense snake-like motion there with yours, so I would need some close up pics of a specimen tonsay for certain, but, assuming these have bristles on them, these are most likely harmless.

 

[overhead]

Swimming worms is usually going to be epitoke (essentially bristleworm reproductive parts), but there are a few worms that can swim like this regularly as well.

Definitely some intense snake-like motion there with yours, so I would need some close up pics of a specimen tonsay for certain, but, assuming these have bristles on them, these are most likely harmless.

Unfortunately, I did not get one captured to put under my microscope. Had many of them the first day, just a few the second day, and now they are gone. Or, moved on to whatever the next stage of their lifecycle is. It was not a great week for something odd to happen in my tanks, I had way too much work stuff going on to spend a lot of time on it. If I see them again I will try to grab on and put it on a slide.