Coco worm care?

[iamwhatiam52]

This got no responses in the invert forum so I'll try it here.....

I've been told that Coco worms do not do well long term.

Can they thrive if properly cared for?

If so, what conditions do they need, and what should they be fed?

 

[dendro982]

I see, so far no answer - but I had seen posts about coco worms, may be at Invert forum. Sorry, not much help.

I'm keeping another filter feeders - Chrismas tree worms, and feeding them few times every day, zooplankton of different sizes, starting from the biggest - Cyclop-eeze (that may be suitable for such big worms), to the smaller kinds, like ZoPlan, rotifers, baby brine. Have them not too long - 1.5 yrs.

There is a good illustrated article about different feather duster-like worms.

 

[briangg57]

I've had my coco worm now for about a year,I target feed once every week. Sometimes I miss a week. He's doing great. Good luck they really are a beautiful animal.

 

[HowardW]

Coco worms are fairly difficult to keep long term for many people and need very good water quality and a good supply of plankton type and organic foods.



<<< I'm keeping another filter feeders - Chrismas tree worms, and feeding them few times every day, zooplankton of different sizes, starting from the biggest - Cyclop-eeze (that may be suitable for such big worms), to the smaller kinds, like ZoPlan, rotifers, baby brine >>>

I would feed them live phyto several times weekly, most of the other stuff is too big for them to eat.

 

[briangg57]

Forgot to mention, when I feed my corals I shave off thin shavings of shrimp or sometimes fish. then I soak it with Phytoplex and Micro.vert. Both by Kent Marine.These do well for me but there are many products out there that I'm sure work for other people. Tonight were ALL having talapia.

 

[briangg57]

One last thing , as my fish shavings are soaking in mixture ,I stab it and make sure the mixture gets in the fish.I feed the bigger shavings to the brain,plate and anemonies.This also on the other hand get pieces of fish particals in the mixture. Then I take a suringe and target feed. When you do this it is interesting to see the worm take the food.

 

[dendro982]

HowardW:
For how long you are keeping the Christmas tree worms on phytoplankton only? Without being inquisitive, would like to know the results of others, before starting myself.
Thank you.

 

[HowardW]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11912319#post11912319 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dendro982
HowardW:
For how long you are keeping the Christmas tree worms on phytoplankton only? Without being inquisitive, would like to know the results of others, before starting myself.
Thank you.

My oldest worm rock is about 5 1/2 yrs. now. From all my readings and speaking with knowledgeable people it's my understanding that X-Mas tree worms are pretty much phyto feeders, and 'large' foods like baby brine or Cyclop-Eeze are way too large for them. It's also unclear whether they require live phyto from what I've heard.

 

[dendro982]

iamwhatiam52: sorry for drifting away from coco worms, but it is very difficult to find the actual keeper, willing to answer. And I already asked the coco worms keeper come to see this thread.

HowardW:
Thank you, and if you can help me and many other Xmas worms keepers - post the thread with details on your tank setup and worms keeping, will you? With the link here, if possible.
As I said, it is very difficult to find the keeper, willing to share how-to.

I'm particularly interested in:

1. Tank setup, filtration, capable to handle input of nutrients, amount of flow near the worms (are the crowns slightly bent?), do you use the natural sea water or not. The photos will certainly help: I myself have a trouble of positioning Christmas tree rocks, that the flow will be high enough to do not let the uneaten food settle on the rocks, and not high enough to bend worms' crowns or causing them to close.

2. Food: what kind of phytoplankton, and what else was given to the other tank inhabitants? In what amounts, how frequently?

3. Do you have the worms growth and reproduction?
No reproduction in my tank, but hope, they will.

4. Love to see the pictures of the Christmas tree rocks. And if they are different, did you notice any difference in their requirements?

I have 3 rocks with common brown porites, the green porites with cold-red crowns (all the same color), beige fine porites with lower crowns (maybe Indo-Pacific?), pavona with greenish Spirobranchus (different from the others, toothed operculum holder - sorry about layman terminology, the thing, that joins operculum and worm). The beige and green give the most troubles (porites, not worms), maybe I just do not understand, what they require. sps forum couldn't help - already asked.

Will you help? Really appreciate this.

 

[BLKTANG]

I had a coco worm in my old reef for almost 2 years until one day my tang thought it would make a good snack.

 

[HowardW]

dendro, This article may be of some help to you:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/sept2002/toonen.htm

 

[dendro982]

HowardW: Thanks, already read it, started with it, actually. But I'm interested in experience of other keepers.
Pity, if you can't post more about yours Christmas tree worms - it is very rare occurrence and would be very helpful for us, other keepers.

 

[HowardW]

dendro, In my experiences the X-Mas tree rocks like medium/high light and good random flow for the porites coral however the worms can do well in any type of light as they are filter feeders. I use about 4 watts per gallon of T5's with a combo of UVL and Current bulbs and have the rocks about 8-12" from the surface. I have my X-Mas rocks in 3 different tanks all using Koralia pumps as well as MaxiJets with the Hydor rotators causing the flow to hit the rocks/worms every few seconds and the worms seem to do well. I feed 3 times weekly using DT's Premium Reef Blend Phyto and sometimes oyster eggs then shut off my skimmer and all but 1 powerhead for 2-3 hrs. I also target feed other corals in those tanks twice weekly with Rods Food and other foods so those tanks have high nutrient/organic loads which is most like beneficial for the X-Mas worms too. I have had a couple rocks that now have a few more X-Mas worms then when I got them, but they grow very slow.

Keep in mind however others may do things very differently and also have success long term.

 

[dendro982]

HowardW:
I'm so glad, that you could do it! Thank you.
Few more question: is the flow bending the worms' crowns noticeably?
Do you have green or beige porites - any difference in care?

I bought today DT's Premium Reef Blend - should I use amount, recommended by manufacturer, or more?

 

[Larah]

Wait wait wait... I thought I saw where someone is feeding 3 times a DAY and others are maybe twice a week... I am confused now...
What is "optimal"?

Also, I really don't want my tank to have a high nutrient load... Does that mean I can't keep A worm? as in one worm...

 

[scubajsm]

Here is a pic of my coco worm, I've had for about 6 months. It has grown 2 inches since I got it. It is in md flow, in the middle of the tank. I don't target feed, but my ph is set up to blow food right to that area, has seemed to work well for me. I did have it in a high flow area and it lost it's crown, so I moved it and it's back to normal and it's crown looks awesome. Mine definelty did not like high flow at all! HTH good luck.

 

[Larah]

Thanks for the info! WOW, your feather duster looks GREAT!
What do you feed? Hopw often do you feed it?
Do you turn everything off or just some things when you feed?

 

[dendro982]

Twice a week or few times a day - it was about Christmase tree worms, smaller cousins of the coco worms. I feed more - just to be on the safe side, due to lack of other information (before this thread). Could be possible to feed less, with good results.

scubajsm:
I join Larah with a question about kind, amount and frequency of feeding. Please?
Long time want the coco worm too, didn't found the bright colored yet.

 

[scubajsm]

Actually I never turn anything off when I feed. I only run my skimmer on occassion anyway. I usually feed 2-3x's per week. I give my tank alot of variety which I think helps. The types of food I use are as follows: Marine snow,DT's phytoplankton,oyster eggs,cyclopeeze,live brine shrimp,many different frozen foods,bio plankton, roti feast, zooplex. Also I took another look at my coco worm and it's actually grown 3 inch not the 2 as I previously had thought. HTH

 

[iamwhatiam52]

Good to hear that some have had coco worms growing for a while in their tanks, but does anyone know what they eat?
Seems that scubajsm feeds EVERYTHING to the tank, but what ecactly do the cocos eat?