Coco worm...long

[Michelle L]

Hi all

I was wondering if anyone can answer some questions about my coco worm.

I have had it for about 9 months, and I have been told that it's not uncommon for them to die after about a year, so I had written my worm off as dead but I left it in the tank just in case. I'm glad that I did!

It started turning a medium reddish color after being light pink for most of the time I had kept it. It looked like that for about two months, then it started staying in it's tube 24/7 and I thought it was a goner. Then after about three to four days of hiding it started peeking back out, but it looked sort of fragile and withered. Finally it has started coming out and opening up more, and it seems to be a lighter pink around the bottom edge again.

I have read that they sometimes shed their heads and grow new ones. I don't think that's what happened because I hadn't seen anything that looked like a dropped head, but then again I'm not sure what I am looking for.

Is there anything specific I can feed it to make it 100% happy again, and is what happened normal or abnormal? I have been feeding the tank oyster eggs and Zooplankton, but haven't used phytoplankton in a while. Is that more like what it needs?

Thanks!

 

[LeslieH]

9 months is a good run for a coco worm in a tank. They do prefer smaller particles like phytoplankton, bacterial floc, POM, etc. I'd guess they're feeding more off what your tank produces than the supplemental eggs & zooplankton. Overall it sounds like you're doing okay.

 

[LeslieH]

9 months is a good run for a coco worm in a tank. They do prefer smaller particles like phytoplankton, bacterial floc, POM, etc. I'd guess they're feeding more off what your tank produces than the supplemental eggs & zooplankton. Overall it sounds like you're doing okay.

In the mood for a good read? Here's a whole list of websites with info on feather dusters & christmas tree worms courtesy of Dendro982. They're in his (her?) post at
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1049641
Some good illustrated articles about different feather dusters:
- with cross-sectional drawings at DT site,
- http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/aug2002/invert.htm
- http://www.xtalworld.com/Aquarium/hitchfaq.htm
- http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/sept2002/toonen.htm
- http://www.wetwebmedia.com/feather.htm

Feather dusters keepers:
- http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulleti...p?threadid=9819
- http://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=177157
- http://reefshow.com/html/modules.ph...article&sid=155
- http://www.wetwebmedia.com/featherreprofaqs.htm

My main interest was Christmas tree worms, so I have a little more links on this.
Christmas tree rock, info and keeper's experience:
- http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/s...threadid=855516
- http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/s...threadid=788731
- http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/s...threadid=842745
- http://reefcentral.com/forums/showt...threadid=499906
- http://forum.marinedepot.com/RssFeed9-25893-0-2.aspx

Enemies of both:
- http://www.petplace.com/fish/choosi...ates/page1.aspx
- http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/s...threadid=855516
- http://thereeftank.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10166

 

[Michelle L]

Wow, thanks so much for the help and for the links, Leslie!! I'll read these tonight when I get home from work (which is what I should be doing right now LOL)

 

[Michelle L]

Update:

My coco worm is back to it's old gorgeous self. It's pink again and is spending most of the time extended out of its tube, filtering the water. I don't know what was happening, but I'm glad it decided to stick around a while longer.