Critter Identification plz

[Tieg]

We just moved and during the move of our 29 gal tank I had taken all the soft corals and placed them in a styrofoam cooler and covered them in water. Well when we went to place them back in the tank I found these 2 critters:

They are both the same species...almost like a yellowish color with brown bands....and they swim around real fast in a corkscrewing fashion. The biggest is about 5 inches when he is not tangled up in a knot.

My question is what are they and do they go back in the tank or down the kamode?

 

[Snowboarda42]

They almost look like bristle worms, but bristle's don't swim...

Can you get a close up of them?

 

[thumperss]

i would take the pinny out of the water it will kill it lol

 

[pitmam01]

Down the camode!!!???? Are you kidding!!! Haven't you ever watched scary movies?? Throw those fuggas down your garbage disposal, dump some dish soap and scaulding hot water in it and grinde the crap outta them!!!! Sorry, got a little too excited there for a minute.

 

[Boomer]

That looks like a an Epitoke, a reproductive stage common to many marine polychaete worms.

A swimming reporductive stage found in several types of polychaete annelids. The posterior portion of the worm changes so the gut degenterates, and the body cavity becomes filled with gametes. Given the right conditions, this portion of the worm will break off from the rest of the body and will swim up in the water column, disintergrating and releasing gametes at the same time. The rest of the worm, safe in its burrow, regenerates a new posterior body.


http://www.calacademy.org/education/outreach/wildcity/species/marine_invertebrates/epitoke.html

http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/basch/uhnpscesu/htms/5Atlas/parti.htm