Christmas Tree Worms?

[rfkeeper55]

Hey Everyone,

I've been researching christmas tree worms (mostly on wwm) and was wondering if anyone has had any success with them or what your experiences have been? Thanx

 

[clowninout456]

I have had a christmas tree rock for about 6 months now and its doing great....it has about a dozen or so worms in it and when they come out it looks awesome......some red,yellow,blue feathers on them.......its cool.

 

[Qwank]

i have one but i think its slowly dieing. It used to be filled with worms but half of them are gone. i'm not sure why.

when i got it:

and Now:

you can see the spots where the worms used to be.

 

[rfkeeper55]

Thats a shame it is dieing. What an interesting addition. Is the coral dieing as well because I think I heard that is what kills the worms. I could def. have heard wrong though

 

[Qwank]

i really don't know if the coral is dieing or not. i dont think its is. it was brown when i got it and now its bright green with brown polyps. and it looks like the coral actually grew over the worm holes after they died. i dont know if new worms will grow back or not. i think the problem maybe my lights. my MH bulb is 10 months old, its probably weak. so i moved the rock from the sand to the top of my live rock where my acro and clam is. hopefully it will help it out.

 

[clowninout456]

If im not mistaken, when i purchased my christmas tree rock, i was told to place it down low because they dont like/need much light at all. mine only come out in the dark.

 

[Sean Irwin]

Lighting is immaterial for these worms but must be sufficient for the Porites coral they are located in. The notion that the coral needs to be keep alive for the worms to flourish is also untrue but any conditions able to kill a hardy Porites will also kill the worms. Not to be overly negative but your 12 gal doesn't have enough natural phytoplankton to support them. Try adding small amounts of live phytoplankton (DT's for instance) and see how they do. Once your 75 is up and running you should have a better chance at meeting their needs.

 

[Angela]

I have two of them, one in each of my 75g tanks, had them both a year and half and there doing great! I keep them along the bottom and they do very well there.

 

[Greg Hiller]

IMO/IME Xmas tree worms are hard to keep alive long term due to their need for very fine particulate foods. I've had the Porites thrive and grow, but the worms will decrease in number slowly until all gone.

With some of the newer particulate foods out there now it might be possible to keep these alive, but I think you are going to have to add a lot of 'stuff' to the tank to feed these, and that stuff will lead to algae problems, and potentially problems with high phosphates which might harm the Porites.

It's a shame really because they are truly very beautiful.

 

[Qwank]

I was feeding Phytofeast for the first few months, because i also have a clam and a cocoaworm, but the bottle expired in June and havnt fed since. thats probbally my issue. i'll head out to buy some tonight.

do the worms ever grow back? I have one worm that is really small and looks like its new.

now thats its up higher on the rock i'm seeing mmore polys start to open up. i should have a new bulb next week, so hopefully the porites will recover.

 

[Greg Hiller]

>I was feeding Phytofeast <

I'd look for a feed solution that had very small animals rather than plants for the Xmas tree worms, but I'm no leading authority on these, that's for sure.

I don't think they are likely to successfully reproduce in a tank. There is likely a larval stage.

 

[Qwank]

so what would you recommend for food? i'm going to get some tonight.

 

[willray]

I have had 2 good size porites w/ lots o'worms in ea for yrs and they have grown well,(porites and worms).One is up high one is lower down and both love thier location,the worms....they are out most of the time.If the coral is happy then cahnces are the worms will be also,my porites like a medium flow,good lighting and stress easy when relocated.
Qwank, I agree w/ Sean your tank is not supporting them...lighly target feed every 3 days with photoplankton or similar product but turn your filter and skimmer off for 1/2 hr or so.