Jestersix

Anyone know what is making these sand tubes?

derek_SR

derek_SR

Supporting Member
BARcard
They are showing up all over the tank - my goby carries them around sometimes.

They are all of similar size - perfectly circular and hollow inside like a straw. They hold their shape but crumble back into normal sand easily.

IMG_1069.jpeg
IMG_1070.jpeg
IMG_1073.jpeg
IMG_1072.jpeg
 
I had similar, I strongly believe it's spoinard worms. They crumble under slightest pressure unlike vermatids. I had thousands of them. When I would rake a little sand out the way they covered every inch of the bottom of glass the tubes were burried under thin layer of sand. They don't shoot out mucus webs like vermatids do. They instead have two tiny cat wisker like things they moved around.

They start extremely small like a speck, but don't have the vermatid spirals than they build taller and wider tubes as they grow. If you have what I had. They like rock work and especially just under sand bed.

I've had them and vermatids at the same time. Vermatids tend to be the more obvious of the two.
 
Last edited:
In this picture you can see the wisker like thing I mentioned
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20240318_194205_Google.jpg
    Screenshot_20240318_194205_Google.jpg
    48.2 KB · Views: 53
I found the culprit. Pulled this gnarly, segmented worm with sort of a bobbit like mouth (not a bobbit, though) out of a sand tube randomly while moving some rocks around. Not a bristle worm, I think it's some kind of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaetopteridae . A good 2-3 inches long, and thick like a big earthworm.

IMG_1280.jpg



I exposed it for a while and my leopard wrasse absolutely ZAPPED it. Gobbled it right up and spit out the head.
 
derek_SR said:
I found the culprit. Pulled this gnarly, segmented worm with sort of a bobbit like mouth (not a bobbit, though) out of a sand tube randomly while moving some rocks around. Not a bristle worm, I think it's some kind of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaetopteridae . A good 2-3 inches long, and thick like a big earthworm.

View attachment 55019


I exposed it for a while and my leopard wrasse absolutely ZAPPED it. Gobbled it right up and spit out the head.
Click to expand...

The worm looks like a giant version of the ones I have living in my monti rock.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top