Christmas Tree Worms

[Neil Fox]

I have some. The trick is to keep the coral alive or the worms will die, not sure of the symbiotic mechanism. The coral is a Porites and the requirements are very similar to any encrusting Montipora. As the coral encrusts you will see more worms. Here is a shot of a piece that I got from the bargain bin at my LFS. It wasn't looking too great but after about a month it is turning around. They aren't too challenging if you can keep easier SPS.

I moved it to get a better pic so some worms are hiding. You need to be careful with Porites because it is aggressive.

 

[Darryl]

from my experience you just have to keep the rock which by the way is living coral in itself alive and the rest is history.
keeping them by the clams is actually perfect for feeding and flow

 

[VKP01]

I use about a teaspoon of Kent PhytoPlex, diluted with tank water. I put it in a syringe and squirt it directly over the worms and coral (after turning the power heads off). The worms will probably close when you put your hand in, but should open back up and eat. Unless you have a large, well established tank (maybe even then) you'll have to feed them. They often starve within a year, so target feeding is usually required.

Also, I've had trouble with Asterina starfish trying to pull them out of their tubes, so keep an eye out for that.

Hope that helps!

 

[stevo01]

I totally getting a Bisma Rock!

 

[VKP01]

 

[VKP01]

Here's a pic.

 

[bump3rb33tl3]

First off...welcome Valerie!

So happy to have you joining us! Thanks for the info, you already answered one question I had...If the host coral dies, would the worm die? I'm glad to know they won't.....or at least shldnt if your doing everything right lol! You feed phytoplex, being as they are omnivore, have you tried something like Oyster Feast? Do you target feed them or just broadcast feed?

*Edit* Guess I should have read further down...so does the host coral need to remain alive for the worms to live? I know that is an awful question, but inquiring minds want to know!

 

[VKP01]

Thank you!

I target feed. I have a message posted above specifying how I feed (the first message I posted got cut off). I just use a syringe to squirt it over the worms and coral.

The only foods I've tried are ESV marine phytoplankton, which didn't seem to work too well, and PhytoPlex. Most other foods are to large for the worms to eat, especially ones as small as mine.

 

[VKP01]

*most zooplankton foods

 

[VKP01]

First off...welcome Valerie!

So happy to have you joining us! Thanks for the info, you already answered one question I had...If the host coral dies, would the worm die? I'm glad to know they won't.....or at least shldnt if your doing everything right lol! You feed phytoplex, being as they are omnivore, have you tried something like Oyster Feast? Do you target feed them or just broadcast feed?

*Edit* Guess I should have read further down...so does the host coral need to remain alive for the worms to live? I know that is an awful question, but inquiring minds want to know!

The worms can survive without the coral. They tend to be healthier if the coral is kept alive, but it's not required for them to live.

 

[bump3rb33tl3]

Thanks Valerie

In your readings, did you come across anything that definitively stated that the host coral needed to be alive? I breezed through this Q & A on Saltcorner that touched on it but only said it couldnt be proven. My biggest hesitency with these is that SPS is one of the hardest things for me to keep alive! Everything else Im good with, go figure. I'd hate to pick one of these guys up only to doom it if I am unsuccessful with the SPS.
*edit* forgot to post the link so here ya go in case you want to browse it...
http://www.saltcorner.com/Articles/Showarticle.php?articleID=86

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

From what I have read, the do only live on this type of coral.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Thanks Valerie

In your readings, did you come across anything that definitively stated that the host coral needed to be alive? I breezed through this Q & A on Saltcorner that touched on it but only said it couldnt be proven. My biggest hesitency with these is that SPS is one of the hardest things for me to keep alive! Everything else Im good with, go figure. I'd hate to pick one of these guys up only to doom it if I am unsuccessful with the SPS.

by sps do you mean acros? or birds nests and stylos?

 

[VKP01]

Thanks Valerie

In your readings, did you come across anything that definitively stated that the host coral needed to be alive? I breezed through this Q & A on Saltcorner that touched on it but only said it couldnt be proven. My biggest hesitency with these is that SPS is one of the hardest things for me to keep alive! Everything else Im good with, go figure. I'd hate to pick one of these guys up only to doom it if I am unsuccessful with the SPS.
*edit* forgot to post the link so here ya go in case you want to browse it...
http://www.saltcorner.com/Articles/Showarticle.php?articleID=86

I've not come across anything stating that the corals have to remain alive. I've also found plenty of photos of the worms living in coral skeletons.

 

[bump3rb33tl3]

by sps do you mean acros? or birds nests and stylos?

In the article I attached in a previous post, it appears they like porites, milli's, and asteroides...

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Hmm, cool, ill have to re read.

heres terrible pic in the qt. about the size of a baseball, the porites is usually fuzzy(pe) and a few worms are hiding still.

 

[VKP01]

heres terrible pic in the qt. about the size of a baseball, the porites is usually fuzzy(pe) and a few worms are hiding still.

[/QUOTE]

Nice!

 

[120Reefer]

I love these and have been wanting some for a while now. Was interested to hear from others out there who have them now or had them in the past and see what their experience is/was like? Just for eye candy sake, here ya go!

Here's mine that I've had for almost 2 years now. They can be tricky and I'll tell ya what I've learned. They are apparently harvested from 2 types of areas. 1 being higher light then the other. It also depends on what type of corals they are hosted by. Porities are the most common from what ive seen. Porities usually prefer more shaded areas areas. The worms alone can usually be sustained by strong flow but supplementing with a phytoplankton or even the smallest variety of copepods. If you can get a hold of an aussie specimen, it's worth it. They always seem to have more mature worms with larger crowns. If I can find an aussie, I would buy it in a 1/2 a heartbeat. Best of luck to ya

View attachment 20161209_160830.jpg

 

[bump3rb33tl3]

I will have to keep an aussie in mind!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Here's mine that I've had for almost 2 years now. They can be tricky and I'll tell ya what I've learned. They are apparently harvested from 2 types of areas. 1 being higher light then the other. It also depends on what type of corals they are hosted by. Porities are the most common from what ive seen. Porities usually prefer more shaded areas areas. The worms alone can usually be sustained by strong flow but supplementing with a phytoplankton or even the smallest variety of copepods. If you can get a hold of an aussie specimen, it's worth it. They always seem to have more mature worms with larger crowns. If I can find an aussie, I would buy it in a 1/2 a heartbeat. Best of luck to ya

View attachment 20161209_160830.jpg

W O W !