What kind of tube worm is this?

Not a tank mate question but during a visit to Nigril Jamaica I witnessed this tube worm open right infront of me. Does anyone know what it is?

 

Wow gorgeous no idea on the species though.

 

I was afraid to touch it. Kinda looks like lots of stinging cells on it.
But it was so beautiful.

 

bump

 

Looks like a type of christmas tree hydroid.

 

I certainly see a resemblance, but do those hydroids have 12 inch high silk spun tubes?

 

Not sure, there's lots of hydroid species and they range in sizes from a few inches to a foot. There's no way to positively ID the species from that photo, but it looks like a hydroid of some species for sure. Taking a sample and keying it out is the only way to really ID it.

 

My next trip back to Nigril I will have to glove up and find another one. I've seen some very nasty hydroid stings I am not gonna take any chances. I am convinced it was a tube worm but I guess its possible to be a hydroid. Once I snatch the tube up it will be quite easy to distinguish between them.

 

Looks like a deep sea sponge I saw on an online news article. Meat-eating deep sea sponge discovered | MNN - Mother Nature Network

 

Absolutely a hydroid. There's a kazillion species, so I wouldn't even try to ID it more than that. Awesome find.