stuff on lr

[blennyluv]

hi
i have yet another stupied rookie question. i have noticed on some of my live rock i have these little tubes, good. i see something stickingout but not much, but whatever it is puts out what looks like spider webs.
anyone have any clues???

[newtofish]

Small feather dusters. They are filter feeders and are a good hitch hiker. I have them all over my tank.

[blennyluv]

ya me too, but i never see the feathers on these ones

If you don't see feathers but you see spider webs, I would guess vermetid snails. They are immobile, build tubes, send out a mucous net (quite like SPS corals) and then suck in whatever sticks to it.

Here's macro video of one (requires free download Quicktime). http://www.mbayaq.org/video/video_snailnet_feeding_qt.asp

BTW...they are harmless critters.

[Doctor_Reef]

What he said or it may be a Terebellid worm..You can look them up and see if that is what you are seeing...It doesn't sound like a feather duster...or fan worm....By the way the Terebellid is a good guy I have one right at the front of my tank on a lone piece of LR...and it is fun to watch it put out its little tentacles and retract them in...There are many in this family...If I had a pic may be able to ID it better....

[NaH2O]

There are several different types of worms which have things coming out. The spider web description does sound like a vermetid snail.

The other worms I'm thinking of: Spiniod or Chaetopterid as seen here from Marc Levenson's tank

http://melevsreef.com/id/dualpalps.jpg

and the Terebillid worm (http://www.reefimages.com/cgi-reefimages/page.cgi?list=Worms&slide=98.jpg)

here is a link to a terebillid worm movie: Terebillid Worm Movie (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.gerbilbox.org/albums/invertebratemovies/DSCN0642.thumb.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.gerbilbox.org/gallery/invertebratemovies&h=113&w=150&sz=7&tbnid=uzC2KsHfUYcJ:&tbnh=67&tbnw=90&hl=en&start=17&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dterebellid%2Bworm%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3 Den%26lr%3D%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den-us%26sa%3DN) - scroll down to the bottom left hand image.

[Doctor_Reef]

Heheeh...Sorry sp on the terebellid???? I corected the sp in my post to the bellid...Any way sorry!!

http://www.reefimages.com/Worms/Worms4.htm

More worms...
http://www.reefimages.com/Worms/Worms.htm

[blennyluv]

looks like it is the snail thing. small, cant really see it, may have to move it tothe front to get a better peak at it.
thanks for all the info guys. wheree do you find it all?

[Doctor_Reef]

Check these two sites out...one for the snails and one for the worms...Great sample shots and great information...

Snails...
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rs/index.htm

Worms...
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-05/rs/index.htm

See if those help with the ID process!!!

[2639]

When I put in some rubble last week, I had a similar creature but it quickly died off :( It strung itself out to another rock and I could see it pulling something in. I hope I get more of those in the future. To get neat little creatures like that, do you HAVE to put in LR? Can things like that be imported other ways?

[DKWICK]

Here is a pic of tube worms on my rock so you can see the difference.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/DKWICK/FeatherDusters.jpg
DKWICK

[blennyluv]

ya, i have lots of those, these are def. those snails. got a good look at them after watching the video on them. i have about 5 all in the same area, all spinning webs. kinda cool