When I first started in the hobby years ago, X-Mas worm rocks were quite commonly available at LFS (not online back then). They gradually fell out of favor, mostly because success rates were so poor. Fast forward to the present and you almost never see them available. It's too bad because as husbandry of SPS corals has improved, keeping X-Mas rocks is actually quite easy now …. and they look spectacular. You have to have a tank that will grow SPS in order that the host porities (sometimes cyphastrea) survives; and you have to avoid fish that will pick at the feathery worm heads. If you have surviving populations of tube worms there's likely enough food for the X-Mas worms. It has never been clear to me the extent to which the porities coral and the worms exist in a mutualistic relationship. Some say that if the coral dies, the worms die; other say not. My own experience is that if the porites coral thrives, so do the worms. Correlation certainly; causation, maybe.
Anyhow, when I see X-Mas rocks for sale I will buy them if the coral is still living. I keep them in my frag tank where the few fish will leave the worms alone. No special feeding. The two that I have are both over two years old and both the coral and worms are still alive. The coral has grown quite a lot. The colorful tree worms have not multiplied, but more traditional fan worms have taken up residence and been encrusted in by the porities coral.
If others are keeping these animals I'd love to see some pictures. Here are my two …...
Anyhow, when I see X-Mas rocks for sale I will buy them if the coral is still living. I keep them in my frag tank where the few fish will leave the worms alone. No special feeding. The two that I have are both over two years old and both the coral and worms are still alive. The coral has grown quite a lot. The colorful tree worms have not multiplied, but more traditional fan worms have taken up residence and been encrusted in by the porities coral.
If others are keeping these animals I'd love to see some pictures. Here are my two …...