The Types of Saltwater Feather Dusters

Saltwater Feather Duster worms belong to a class of marine worms containing over 10,000 species. These species can be divided into two subclasses: Sedentaria or sedentary tube dwellers and Errantia or tube-dwelling species that leave the tube.

  1. Feather Duster Worm (Class: Sedentaria)

    • Example of a Feather Duster Worm

      The feather duster worm (Sabellastarte magnifica) has brown and white plume tentacles that project in two whorls from the tube. The crown can reach almost 4 inches. The crown is used for feeding as particles are removed from the current by the radiating tentacles. The tentacles retract quickly back into the tube if they are disturbed. The worms are abundant where the food supply allows. If multiple worms exist, they will sway together in response to current and retract together in response to disturbance.

    Christmas Tree Worm (Class: Sedentaria)

    • Unlike the feather duster worm, the Christmas tree worm has a hard tube. The worm radiates two spirals with two or three antler-like horns on its surface that are exposed when the worm is contracted. The color of the worms varies from red to orange to white or any combination of the same. The Christmas tree worm is noted for the speed with which they contract when disturbed.

    Christmas Tree Worm (Class: Sedentaria)

    • The tetraceros is a sub-species of Christmas tree worms that is common to Atlantic Reefs. The tetraceros has more horns, is smaller and more gregarious.

    Fire worm (Class: Errantia)

    • Unlike the feather duster worm, the fire worm is generally not sought out for reef tanks. It is a flattened, segmented worm that can reach almost 12 inches in length. It has venom filled bristles which can easily penetrated the flesh and break off if the worm is handled. The fire worm feeds on living corals, attacking the last few centimeters of the tip of a branching coral and removing the coral tissue. Evidence of fire worms is apparent by the white ends on the coral after the fire worm has fed.

    Syllis spongicola (Class: Errantia)

    • This worm is small and white in color. It occurs in the tens of thousands as parasites on sponges. They are so numerous that in some specimens they comprise 5 percent of the weight of the sponge. They feed by inserting a proboscis into the cells of the sponge.