Tube worm

[Powder Blue]

Don' know if anyone else has had this problem and done what I have done today. Went to let my new tube worm out of its transport bag. As I let it slowly sink to the substrate I saw with horror the worm came out of its tube. What would you do? Well I read that a worm will build a new tube relatively quickly. As I watched wondering what to do my Doctor fish decided to have a nibble at the worm. That was it the poor thing wouldn't last an hour unprotected. So I could only think that it needs to be back in its tube. So with tube in one hand and worm in the other I slowly eased the tail end back in to it's tube. As I slowly rubbed and eased the poor thing back in it somehow realised what was happening and all of a sudden quickly shot in to its tube. I've placed it so it is well protected from my Doctor and I suppose only time will tell if my rescue/first aid has been successful.

 

[WVNed]

Good job. I hope it does great.

 

[Powder Blue]

Good job. I hope it does great.

So do I it was a very delicate job. And my fingers are not the most delicate. Lol
At least I tried. Fingers crossed.

 

[Dodge Ram]

Good. Make it a happy time.

 

[zyer1090]

Did it ever leave the tube again since you placed it back in?

 

[Averhoeven]

Mine was nearly totally out of his tube on the bottom of the tank today, but ultimately just chilling. I just worry an emerald crab or something is gonna come over and try to get him

 

[Clueless Reefer]

So I'm pretty surprised by this post, I didn't realize that other hobbyists were actively trying to seed tube worms to their tank. Are you able to post an image of yours? I posted one below of one "crop" that I have. They're naturally occurring in my tank and thought most people considered them as nuisance....

 

[Aqua 59]

So I'm pretty surprised by this post, I didn't realize that other hobbyists were actively trying to seed tube worms to their tank. Are you able to post an image of yours? I posted one below of one "crop" that I have. They're naturally occurring in my tank and thought most people considered them as nuisance....

Those are some healthy-looking tube worms. What do they eat, anyway?

 

[Clueless Reefer]

Thanks! Thats just one of my patches...they're literally everywhere in my substrait; I'll have to take a pic later of this shell that has been turned upside down for a while with sand in it and even has them growing out of it. I'm not sure what they eat other than just filter feeding what I feed to the fish; they could be fans of the coral food that I put in too.
I think one of the biggest things is that people do a lot of sand vacuuming and that knocks them out. While I do vacuum...they stick to areas that I don't mess with, especially in the back of my tank and in my caves.

The only draw back of having large tube worm colonies is that they do make a mess with their...I'm not sure what its called. I'll take some photos later but essentially these guys deposit their old shells or husks or something as they grow and after a few weeks they pile up in the lower flow zones of my tank.