worm swarm

[goby2]

I noticed what appeared to be a growth of algae in my tank today, but when I looked closer it was actualy a huge mass of worms. They are brown and very small, maybe 5mm in length.The weird thing is they are moving around the tank in large colonies. These aren't just clumps of worms either, but complicated branching structures that are narrow on one end and split into many segments on the other like a root. These worm clusters are about 4'' by 3'' and comprized of hundreds of worms each. Anyone have any ideas? This is really weird.

 

[Anonymous]

Cirratulid Worms do this once in a while. Usually they're discovered climbing the glass en mass though, not in a ball. I would still guess Cirratulids.

 

[goby2]

The odd thing is, This is a new tank. The only other living things I've seen in there are my fish, some copepods and a few amphipods. I have no idea where these worms came from I only have a couple of pounds of live rock in the tank(220), and all of the worms are near the top of the tank now, about six feet away from the rock, and I cant see any in the sandbed. They have broken into about six groups now as they are slowly moving up the glass on one side of the tank.

 

[Anonymous]

they are slowly moving up the glass on one side of the tank.

That's what I'm used to seeing.

 

[Mihai]

That sounds cool! How about a pic for us?
M.

 

[goby2]

Sorry, but the digital camera's on the fritz again.