worm swimming like a corkscrew

[Anonymous]

i was checking out my tank after the lights went out, and
along with another blizzard of baby skunk cleaners, i saw
this worm, very skinny and maybe 1/2 inch long, swimming
pretty fast in a corkscrew motion.
any body know if he has potential to harm any fish?

 

[fishfanatic2]

Do you know if you have any feather duster worms in the tank? If so, then this is 95% what it is. If it is the worm, then he is trying to relocate himself to a more favorable place. He can't harm any fishes, but the fishes are more likely to consume him while he is without the protection of hus tube. They (the worms) are really cool filter feeders that are 100% reef safe.

 

[Anonymous]

thanks fishfanatic
i have hundreds of the small hard tube worms,
and lots of the ones that seem to bore holes in the rock too.
didnt know they would ever leave the tubes.

 

[Reefguide]

I've seen that on "Science of the Deep" on the Discovery Science Chanel !!

 

[Anonymous]

Or it may be the reproductive phase of a polychaete worm- epitoke I think they're called.

Either way, nothing to worry about.