|
|
|
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 9/21/2009 8:30:26 AM
Posts: 5,
Visits: 39
|
|
Hi Ron
I found 3 of these worms in my tank today. Can you ID it?
Thanks
Deb
|
|
|
|
|
Group: Moderators
Last Login: Today @ 7:21:03 AM
Posts: 3,879,
Visits: 5,601
|
|
| Hi Deb, Unless I miss my guess, the worm is a worm in the taxonomic family Dorvilleidae. Althoujg related to the Eunicids, they are a different clan. Here are a couple of links to places that discuss them, albeit briefly; 1, 2. Dorvilleids are common on real reefs, and moderately common in reef tanks. Over the years I have seen about six or seven different species, including one that ate (as far as I know) only Aiptasia. I tried to culture the last one, visions of dollars dancing in my head, unfortunately I only had three (sent to me by a hobbyist) and they were not in the best of shape. They appear to be mostly predatory and generally relatively small. In most reef tanks I suspect their presence or absence goes unnoticed by the aquarist. I would classify them as a harmless part of the system's biodiversity.
Cheers, Ron
"The difference in mind between man and the higher animals, great as it is, certainly is one of degree and not of kind. The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man." Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
|
|
|
|
|
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 9/21/2009 8:30:26 AM
Posts: 5,
Visits: 39
|
|
|
|
|
|
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 9/21/2009 8:30:26 AM
Posts: 5,
Visits: 39
|
|
| I see a few mentions that Dorvilleidae are tiny worms? The one in the pic is about 6" long, and there are two smaller ones that are about 1-1/2" long. Do they get that large?
|
|
|
|
|
Group: Moderators
Last Login: Today @ 7:21:03 AM
Posts: 3,879,
Visits: 5,601
|
|
| Hi Deb, You said,
"I see a few mentions that Dorvilleidae are tiny worms? The one in the pic is about 6" long, and there are two smaller ones that are about 1-1/2" long. Do they get that large?"
Ya shoore, you betcha... The average mammal is rodent, generally these are field mouse size, but the largest ones can be a couple of feet long and weigh 10+ kg. It may be said, quite truthfully, that most most mammal are small animals. Blue whales might beg to differ. Generalizations and averages are iffy things. Most of these worms are collected using an apparatus called a benthic grab (soft substrate) or by picking apart rocks (hard substrate). In either case all of the animals in the samples will be small because the sample is small. In other words, the methodology affects the size of critter seen. If you are sampling the world this way, most dorvilleids are tiny. Howsoever, there are some larger species, and it looks like you get the door prize for today.
Cheers, Ron
"The difference in mind between man and the higher animals, great as it is, certainly is one of degree and not of kind. The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man." Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
|
|
|
|
|
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 9/21/2009 8:30:26 AM
Posts: 5,
Visits: 39
|
|
Ohh goody!
LOL!
Well I wont worry unless I catch one actually eating something I want.
Thanks Ron
|
|
|
|
|
Group: Moderators
Last Login: Today @ 7:21:03 AM
Posts: 3,879,
Visits: 5,601
|
|
| Hi Deb, Any information you could get about what it/they were eating would be useful. 
Cheers, Ron
"The difference in mind between man and the higher animals, great as it is, certainly is one of degree and not of kind. The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man." Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
|
|
|
|