Dorvilleidae worm? nope, epitoke

Saw these when the lights went out. I have an extremely hard time getting a picture, they are so fast. This is about the best one, but I can get others if this one isn't clear enough.

I just thought about this old post where Greg@LionfishLair had pointed out the worms. Could these be the same, but larger?
3reef thread from before

Some are larger than this one, but only maybe by a 1/3rd, some are red, some are white and they are fast.

thanks!

 

I am inclined to think epitoke.

 

Thanks! I saw probably a couple dozen or so when I was on my "night stalk". Are these safe for the reef?

I see so many moving things on the rock when I look in there. I wonder how much I don't see in there.

I saw some "bugs" that were so small I couldn't tell if they had legs or not, just tiny tiny spots moving around.

 

Then yes epitoke, baby bristle worms..how this occurs is not pleasant however.
Tiny spots either copepods, amphipods or isopods.

Good bug ID link:

Hitch Hiking Copepods, Isopods and Amphipods

 

Thanks for the link, I'll see what I can do on the little tiny bugs. I tried pointing them out to the GF but she couldn't see them. I honestly would say they are smaller than the eyes of this smiley.

"baby bristle worms..how this occurs is not pleasant however."

Can you elaborate on this part please?

 

I'd say epitoke as well.

Dorvilleids look like this:

 

It's the process that I find kind of ewwwww.

"the worms break in half; the tail section (the “epitoke”), bearing reproductive cells, swims to the surface, where it releases eggs and sperm. Tens of thousands of epitokes swarm and release gametes simultaneously," Encyclopædia Britannica

 

ahhhhh, the ole divide and conquer! haha!

Well, I'm just glad they waited until the lights went out, well until I "caught" them

 

oh and thanks Greg for the picture!!

 

It's actually quite the sight if you see the swarm. I have had it happen twice that I witnessed in my tanks over the years.