HELP! Tubeworm Mantle Fell Off

[Michael L.]

I just looked in my aquarium and one of my tubeworm's mantles is floating around in the tank. What happened? Is it good? Do I take it out of the tank? Leave it in?

I have two other large tubeworms in the tank and they look great... the tubes have grown over an inch in the last couple weeks.Everyhting testable looks fine to me. Help please!

 

[Tayler]

tubeworms realease there mantles when they are stressed .something in the tank was probably bothering it. it will grow back in a while. also you should take the mantle out of the tank as it will just decompose.

tayler

 

[Michael L.]

Thanks for the help. I have a water change scheduled for tomorrow, so hopefully that will reduce some of the stress. I will also try and keep an eye on it to see if anything is harassing it.

 

[Tennyson]

I read in a book that they get rid of their mantles after they release eggs to avoid catching and eating them, and that they are encouraged to breed when there are multiple ones of them in the tank. But I'm not sure about that.