What's up with this??

[ctopal]

Before

After

I've had this worm for about a month, it's almost always out and seems happy, no one bugs it. The missing part of it's crown has floated between some rock work nearby, I just noticed it. Any ideas how this could have happened? This is from my 90, all my parameters are good, tank mates are 3 clowns, 1 yellow tang, 1 royal gramma, 1 mandarin fish. Various small hermits and snails, no shrimp.

 

[REEF-DADDY]

Are you dosing phyto?

 

[ctopal]

Only once a week DT's mixed with cyclopeeze, do you think it's not getting enough food?

 

[DTagrin]

I believe that the worm may be starving. It will only be feeding on phytoplankton and I have a suggestion for feeding it more efficiently with less phytoplankton.
If you take a large soda bottle and cut the bottom off, you will be able to use it to increase the amount of phytoplankton that is available for the worm to feed on. Place the bottle over the worm and wait for it to open. Add a small amount of phytoplankton through the top of the bottle and allow the worm to feed for about an hour. Remove the bottle.
If you feed the worm directly and feed it every day it may recover. Remember to clean the bottle with water only, no soap.

 

[wentreefgirl]

They also drop their crowns in mateing but it would be both and the worm would still be in the tube.

 

[ctopal]

Thanks for all of the info, I'm going to try bottle feeding. I have a coco worm too, I will start it on this routine as well. In the case of my coco worm or once this worm has recovered how often should I feed on a normal basis?

 

[DTagrin]

Coco worms are large and require a lot of phytoplankton to be maintained in good health. Target feeding may be the best way to accomplish this. I would suggest target feeding coco worms at least a few times a week but the specifics would have to be figured out. Let's see if it works.

 

[ctopal]

So I tried the bottle feeding on the 19th, but it went back into its hole asap and didn't come out for the rest of the night. I'm sure some of the phyto went into his large tube though. I come home today and the other heads popped off Any chance this is mating like wentreefgirl said? Any way to tell, I'm sure the worm is still in there. How long should I leave the tube alone?

 

[wentreefgirl]

Is the worm still in the tube or did the whole thing fall out. If the body came out with the crown then Id say I just usually put the food upstream and let it get to them. Mine never stay out for target feeding.

 

[ctopal]

I think the worm's still in there just the feathery crown which was attached to fleshy looking stuff the size of a pencil eraser. I guess I'll just leave the tube be, it's not hurting anything.

 

[JonTarutis]

I'd pull the tube every few days if you don't see anything appear and give it a good whiff. If the worm has died it will start to rot inside the stagnant tube... nice nutrient hot spot...
Good luck!
Jon

 

[Herpn]

It may grow a new head give it a few days. Although if you can take it out Smell it if it smells like dead fish then toss it. If it does not smell bad wait and maybe it will grow a new head. My featherdusters sometimes drop heads but start to regrow in about a week.

Good Luck.

 

[wentreefgirl]

Ive had my cocos drop their crowns a few times. No baby cocos though. After the last time I noticed this and thought it was a baby but then realized it was a xmas tree worm.
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/wentreefgirl/Tank%20pics/Picture884411763.jpg">

 

[ctopal]

So I've left the tube alone and just hoped, cause it's in a pretty difficult spot to check on it or sniff it and I didn't want to upset it in case it was alive. So tonight I'm checking out the tank and notice color inside the tube about a 1/2 inch in, which is odd as the last time I looked it was chaulk white. Then I notice two tiny crowns, red with gold flecks, each the size of 1/2 a pencil eraser and I realize the color is worm flesh as it was moving. Tried taking pics but they didn't come out well. Hopefully I'll have some pics to post in a week or so with definite progress. Yeah!!!

 

[Herpn]

Ya mine have dropped heads and grown them back. Not sure if it is normal they may do it when it gots old or because of stress, probably both. Maybe high phosphates or natrates cause it.

Good luck.
Chuck

 

[ShiftNation]

They do it because of stress , poor water quality , lack of food or combination of any . As long as they get a little TLC theyll pull through .