Snake or fish???

Post and find fish ID pictures/descriptions here!
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Zmeyers
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Snake or fish???

Post by Zmeyers » Tue Aug 10, 2021 3:56 am

Hello
We recently visited Washington and saw this off of a pier in Puget sound, Seattle
Could anyone tell me what it is?? I don’t think it’s an eel but I couldn’t find anything about it.
Thank you
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4n6fisher
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Re: Snake or fish???

Post by 4n6fisher » Wed Aug 11, 2021 6:29 am

It is a type of pile worm (I forget the exact type), I saw one a few years ago in the San Juan's and had to ask some marine biologists what it was. They will come to the surface and swim around around mating time I read. Very strange things to see swimming around.

Zmeyers
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Re: Snake or fish???

Post by Zmeyers » Mon Aug 16, 2021 5:58 pm

I’ll look into that. It was very strange. Never seen anything like it but I’m from MN.
Thank you!

Zmeyers
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Re: Snake or fish???

Post by Zmeyers » Mon Aug 16, 2021 6:07 pm

Im guessing that’s not it, it was roughly 24-30” long. It was very strange. Never seen anything like it but I’m from MN.
Thank you!

Zmeyers
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Re: Snake or fish???

Post by Zmeyers » Mon Aug 16, 2021 6:15 pm

Was about 2 feet long. I’m thinking it’s not a pile worm from googling it but I could be wrong.
A97F9AE0-0C9D-4445-AB64-111A6741999C.jpeg

Zmeyers
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Re: Snake or fish???

Post by Zmeyers » Thu Aug 19, 2021 7:19 pm

Pile worms only get up to 6 inches according to ogle anyways. This was 2-3 feet long.

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4n6fisher
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Re: Snake or fish???

Post by 4n6fisher » Thu Sep 09, 2021 12:46 pm

Here was the official description. the one I saw was about 2-3' as well.

"I'm pretty sure it is Nereis brandti or other worm from Nereis. I also think now called Alitta brandti but also questions about morphological differences between numerous species in a complex. But near as I can tell, they are still considering brandti a separate species."

Apparently they go pelagic to spawn, at a time determined by moon phase and temperature. Kind of like spring break in Florida, I guess.

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4n6fisher
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Re: Snake or fish???

Post by 4n6fisher » Thu Sep 09, 2021 12:58 pm

This is the one I saw, looks about the same size.
Sea creature.jpg

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