Thin white worms in substrate

Hey all,

I have recently seen a number of very thin, small worm like things coming up out of my substrate. They are less than 1mm wide, and about 1cm tall.

I have tried to take a photo but they are close to white/see through and they do not come up in pictures.

They seem to be abundant on the substrate and rock on the left side of the tank and not the right side.

Does any one have any idea what they are?

I am moving the tank soon and replacing all of the sand so they will probably go, but I am just making sure I do not have to treat any rocks that they are on.

 

They might be spaghetti worms, which are pretty harmless. The long, thin white things you see coming out of the substrate are its feeder tentacles, while the rest of the worm remains under the substrate. Their population usually increases as the amount of detritus, leftover food, etc. increases. Does your fish food usually get swept away or fall to the left side of the tank? This could explain why they are only on that side.

 

That description definately fits what these seem to be. My overflow is on the left hand side and all the left over food is directed this direction so that definately be the case.

My tank is slowing down whilst I get ready to move so I havent been water changing as frequently and took my reactors and stuff offline. So all my filtration comes from just my skimmer and refuge.

So that explanation definately makes sense.

 

+1 spaghetti worm is what poped in my mind as well, its a single worm with several "tentacles" that has the habbit of burrowing into your sand bed. here is pic

http://depts.washington.edu/fhl/zoo432/falsebay/fbspecies/terebellid.jpg

http://www.mv.com/users/besposito/pics/spaghetti.jpg

otherwise if you seem coming in and out of a tub like structure build from your sand bed its another type of worm, either way they are harmless