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FAQs about Sedentary, Tubiculous, Featherduster Worm Identification
4 Related Articles:
Featherduster Worms, Polychaete Worms,
Related Worm ID FAQs by Group/Phylum:
Tubeworm ID 1, Featherduster ID 2,
Featherduster ID 3, & Polychaete
Identification, Polychaete ID 2,
& Flatworm Identification ID,
Nemertean, Proboscis, Ribbon Worm ID,
Nematode, Roundworm ID,
Nematomorpha, Horsehair Worm ID,
Acanthocephalans, Thorny-headed Worm ID,
Tubeworm ID, Hirudineans, Leech ID,
Sipunculids, Peanut Worm ID, Echiuran
Worm ID, & LR Hitchhiker ID 2,
LR Hitchhiker ID 3, Non-Vert IDs 1,
Featherduster Worms 1, Featherdusters
2, Tubeworms 3, Tubeworm
Behavior, Tubeworm Compatibility,
Tubeworm Selection, Tubeworm System,
Tubeworm Feeding, Tubeworm Disease,
Tubeworm Reproduction, Polychaete
Identification, Polychaete
Behavior, Polychaete
Compatibility, Polychaete System,
Polychaete Selection, Polychaete
Feeding, Polychaete Disease,
Polychaete Reproduction, | 
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Distinguish Between Hydroids And Bispira Cluster Dusters
9/12/09
Hello,
<Hi Vivian>
First of all I would like to thank you for this wonderful resource. I
have and continue to learn SO MUCH in this great (but addictive hobby).
<You are welcome my dear, glad you enjoy.>
In any case, I have been searching through all your pages, but I cannot
resolve this issue. I have little beasts in my LR which, according to
pictures from some web sites are described as beneficial Bispira fun
worms . On the other hand, in some of your pages you do show pictures of
hydroids that look awfully similar to photo 1 (see photo).
<What photo?>
Do you have any pointers on how to distinguish between hydroids and
Bispira?
<Hydroids are any of numerous, usually colonial marine coelenterates
having a polyp rather than a Medusoid form as the dominant stage of the
life cycle. Hydroids have a simple cylindrical body with a mouth like
opening surrounded by tentacles. Most species form colonies with
individual hydroids branching off from a common hollow tube that is
probably used for sharing ingested food.
Bispira are basically a tubeworm and/or feather duster where the
"duster" is the crown of a worm that lives in a tube, and it is both a
feeding apparatus and a breathing gill.
Hydroids do not have or retract into a tube. I nice pic of a smaller
colony of Bispira for comparison can be seen here.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bispira_sp._(Tubeworm).jpg>
Thank you SO MUCH
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
best,
Vivian
Re Distinguish Between Hydroids And Bispira Cluster Dusters
9/13/09
Thank you SO much James.
<You're welcome.>
That is a beautiful picture! From the practical point of view, given
that my Bispira or hydroids are so very tiny (I have to get a magnifier
glass) that I can not really go through the description with the
necessary detail, Do you think that then, an easy way to tell would be
to touch the prospective crow/ tentacles to see if they retract?
<Do try, if they are dusters, the crown will retract instantly,
revealing the tube..>
As an aside, I HAVE seen these tiny jellyfish kind of thingies beating
around the tank ( I do not have a camera good enough to show, but they
look like brown transparent umbrella shaped creatures of about
5mm.....I guess that would be consistent with hydroid medusas (no?).
<Can be, dusters/fanworms do not roam.>
all the best,
<And to you. James (Salty Dog)>
Vivian
Tube worm? 7/15/2009
Hi there,
<We're as happy as can be...>
As always, when in doubt, ask WWM! your website is truly a wealth of
information. Here is my question. I recently examined my tank and noticed a
bunch of brown 'anemone' like creatures growing on a small piece of live
rock.
<Mmm>
Fearing the worst (aiptasia) I took the rock out of the water and noticed
that each of the 'flowers' (for lack of a better word) had retracted into
individual semi-rigid, semi-transparent brown tubules that bend when pressed
but snap into place when released. Am I dealing with a pest or is it
something benign like tube worms?
<The latter... Sedentariate Polychaetes make all sorts (or none) of tubes...
some are chitinous, others of "sand", and some are rigid as yours here... No
problemo>
I've attached a picture for your reference. Your help is greatly
appreciated.
Regards,
Luis.
<Thank you for being part of it. Bob Fenner> |
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Re: Tube worm? - 7/16/09
Hi Bob,
<Luis>
Thanks for the speedy response! Just one more question to put this one
to rest: someone who saw the pictures (same ones I sent on my first
message) suggested they may be Hydrozoans. Any chance of that being the
case?
<About as close to none as we'll ever get>
I will certainly defer to your expert opinion. Once again, your helpful
insight is greatly appreciated.
Regards, Luis.
<And you, BobF>
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Feather Duster? ...Yes, Yes it
is. 6/7/09
Hi there!
<Hi here!>
Just a small question tonight,
<Good, I'm tired and small questions suit me fine right now.>
we are having trouble identifying our new feather duster on the rock.
<Is a feather duster... on a rock.>
We have tons of feather dusters on all of our rocks but this is completely
different.
<Does look unusual.>
My husband and I are stumped by the bell shape at the end of it. Any ideas?
<No actually, I'm not sure I'm understanding what I'm seeing, is it possible
to get another shot? I mean photo... no more shots please, I've had enough!>
Sherri Clark
<Mich>
"Take each day as it comes, live only for today and don't worry about what
tomorrow will bring"
<Yay! No need to worry about retirement!>
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Plus... RMF |
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Aiptasia? Please Help 4/20/09
I am sending a picture, it is not very clear. Can anyone tell me
what these things are, and what I can do to get rid of it. I was
told Berghia Nudibranchs would help.
<Not aiptasia, picture a little blurry, but they appear to be fan
worms, Bispira. I call them cluster dusters, and are safe, no need
to get rid of them, desirable. James (Salty Dog)>
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Hard white worms?? 2/23/09
Hello,
<Hi Heather,
Mich here.>
I had a question about identifying something I found
in my filter of my saltwater tank recently. I have had my tank for
about a year and it is doing just fine. I have a Picasso trigger
fish and a flame angel fish as well as an algae "lawnmower" blenny.
I was doing a water change and happened to notice some weird white
things that looked like small worms.
They don't move at all and
when I touched one it was hard. I broke it open and there was
something red inside of it. I also found a few of these things on a
magnetic glass cleaner that I always keep in my tank. I didn't know
what these are or if they are something I should be concerned about.
Will they harm my fish or clog my canister filter?
<They are tiny
feather dusters, part of the family Serpulidae and are harmless,
beneficial filter feeders. They will live happily in your filter,
their tubes are calcareous but stay pretty small and usually attach
pretty firmly. But you may have to remove a few depending on their
location. More here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/feather.htm >
I really appreciate the help!!
<I'm happy to assist!>
Thanks,
Heather.
<Welcome, Mich> |
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Hydroids? Maybe Not – Possible Spirorbids? 1/21/09
<Hello
there>
I have these strange white spots that started on one side of
my 125g reef tank and have started to spread across the whole tank,
including the LR. I read on another forum that it very well may be
hydroids.
<Unfortunately, I can’t see any individual well enough to
determine exactly what you have. They could be the extremely common and
harmless Spirorbids (filter feeders) or Hydrozoans. Take a close look at
one with a magnifying glass. If it looks like a very small (no larger
than a couple of mm) hard white spiral, then it’s a Spirorbid. If it
looks like a soft white blob with tentacles, then it’s likely a
Hydrozoan. Please see the following links for more information/photos:
Spirorbid (see photo on the right at FAQ titled “Oh Mich.... ID
Spirorbis spp. and possibly Collonista spp. – 09/29/07"):
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/snailid12.htm
Hydrozoan (see FAQ titled
“Help identifying 2 pics? 06/21/08”):
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/hyzoidf5.htm
I have had coral, Zoas and
mushrooms, for about 6 months. I have attached links to the photos. If
it is hydroids, I have read that tear down and sterilization is the only
way to eradicate them. Am I, and my coral, doomed?
<Not necessarily!
Let’s first confirm exactly what you have and go from there!>
http://s488.photobucket.com/albums/rr249/mantisman51/?action=view¤t=hydroids003.jpg
http://s488.photobucket.com/albums/rr249/mantisman51/?action=view¤t=hydroids001.jpg
<I’m hoping that you do indeed have Spirorbids instead of Hydrozoans,
but if not, let me/us know. Take care, -Lynn> |
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