Coco worm not looking so good

[Tennyson]

So I got my first feather duster, a coco worm. It was doing excellent in my tank for the first three days, but for the past two days or so, its been hiding in its tube and hasn't come out.

I moved it off the sandbed which gets moderate flow (which its happy with) and moved it to moderately low flow, but still enough. And it came out of its tube, but its feathers are all shriveled up and its not coming out all the way.

What could be wrong? I also noticed on the tube, there was a chip or "hangnail" poking inwards, could that be bothering the worms body or feathers?

Thanks!

 

[lowincwrx]

give it some time mine did the same thing for the first couple of weeks and now it's out all the time. as far as flow goes i have mine in low flow however most everyone else here has it under moderate flow.
here is a pic of mine the first weeks

and a couple pics of it now

this is with my cherub pygmy i call him icarus

i don't know about the chip in the tube though. i hope everything turns out ok keep us updated

 

[Tennyson]

I clipped those chips off, but its something else thats bothering it.

Are you sure about that? because mine looked very healthy like I said for the first three days, and then turned out like that. Did yours do that?

And nice pygmy, its beautiful.

 

[plateboy3293]

How old is the tank and what is the livestock list?

 

[Tennyson]

I think its around 6-8 months old.

Fish:
-3 Ocellaris Clownfish
-Diamond watchman Goby
-Green Chromis
-4 Striped Damsel
-Yellow Clown Goby
-Firefish
-Midas Blenny

Inverts
-2 Anemone Shrimp (non-hosting, urocaridella)
-2 Sexy Shrimp
-1 Peppermint
-2 Skunk Cleaner Shrimp
-Coral Banded Shrimp
-Emerald Crabs
-Mini Hermits
-Serpent Stars
-Turbo Snails
-Nasa Snails

If you are implying that something bothered it, I think the most likely would have been my peppermint. Its always trying to eat anything new in the tank, and it lives right in the area where I set most of my things. Or my urocaridella anemone shrimp, they pick at my xenia when hungry, but maybe at a coco worm.

If one of them did pick at the worm, is this the behavior it would do?

Thanks

 

[markviiisvt4]

Mine also did the same thing, looked great for about a day or so then stayed in his tube most of the time for a good 2 weeks, hes out and looks fine now though.

 

[Tennyson]

Really? Thats strange, so I guess its normal and I should have nothing to worry about?

I keep worrying that it will starve from not eating or just die for some other reason, but I guess if it happened to all of you, its normal. I'll keep updating.

Right now, its observing the same behavior.

 

[lowincwrx]

I think it's normal. often when someone gets a coco here theres a thread about how their worried about them. like i said when i first got mine even when it came out it was all curled up like my first pic often even worse.

 

[Tennyson]

Thanks. I think it will be ok. I just can't stop looking at your coco worm and that pygmy angel. They are INCREDIBLY beautiful. Everytime I check this thread again, I take a quick glance at them. They are amazing.

How much was that coco worm? I have never seen one with pink and gold feathers. Everyone has the red and white morph. And are pygmy angels reef safe? I have always wanted one, but thought it was risky to have one with a reef and small shrimp.

 

[lowincwrx]

Thanks Tennyson, i really like them too they are both my faves in the tank. i actually got my coco for 35, when i saw it at that price i just had to pick it up i've seen them as high as 70 at some lfs.

the pygmy has not given me any problems however i only have some xenia and mushrooms in my tank right now. from what i always read its one of the safer angels but its always a risk. he gets along with my cleaner shrimp just fine and it is very active always swimming around.

 

[Tennyson]

$35!? I was ripped off! And isn't that morph rarer or something?

 

[lowincwrx]

i don't know that you were ripped off more than i just got really lucky the lfs had just lowered the price from 45 to 35 because of a sale he was having. i've only been doing this 5 months so i don't know if its rarer the gold color shows more in the pictures mostly its pink.

 

[scubajsm]

My coco worm does that sometimes too. They are known to curl their feathers when they are eating at times. Not always, but on occassion I notice mine curling his feathers right after I have put food in the tank. HTH. Here is a pic of mine.

 

[Tennyson]

Mine looks exactly like that. Anyway, thanks, its been better since the middle of yesturday. How long does it take for it to curl its feathers and eat? Maybe mine was just eating for four days.

 

[scubajsm]

I think at most mine has been curled up for three days. I really haven't counted the days when it does it. I also notice it curling up when I turn my other ph on. Cause I only turn it every now and then and I think it blows food to it.

 

[Brent F]

I came across some photos of mine showing how much it has grown. I added it late February

Here'a a full tank shot I took today