Christmas Tree Worms!
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StlSalt
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This is the same thing I do with mine, I've had them for at least 3 years. Reef roids and Phyto broadcast once a week. I used to have 7 of them, but 2 died. One of unknown causes and the second one when I was cleaning payls off the rock they live in and accidentally broke his tube. I tried to save it, but ultimately watched in horror as Nacarius snails appeared and dragged the naked worm off under the sand. I'll see if I can get some pics. Every time I get near the tank all the fish rush to the front and the worms retract.
OP
OP
College_Reefer
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Great looking piece! I put mine in medium to highish flow and broadcast feed reefroids to feed mine. I also toss in phytoplankton every once in a while. Keep in mind these guys are solely filter feeders so they need as much water hitting them as they can stand. Don't put them in so much flow they're being blown or bent over but enough they can effectively filter feed.I got mine over the weekend and this is definitely one of my favorite piece in my tank.
Does anyone got any tips to care for them? what do I feed them, how much flow and where should I place it in the tank?
ca1ore
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I got mine over the weekend and this is definitely one of my favorite piece in my tank.
Does anyone got any tips to care for them? what do I feed them, how much flow and where should I place it in the tank?
That is one of the nicer examples I have seen in a while. Usually the host coral is porities, this one is cyphastrea .... a little less common in the trade. Keeping the coral alive is pretty easy. If you are successful with SPS, you will be successful with this. Keeping the coral alive is important to keeping the worms alive long-term. If you have common feather dusters in your tank, then there is likely enough food also for the x-mas worms. If not, some supplemental feeding of small particulate food is a good idea. The BIGGEST problem with keeping these alive is fish nipping on the frilly heads. Stressed, the worms will shed the head. It will regrow, but if it happens too many times the worm will die. i have a few of these rocks in my frag tank and they have thrived for years. I cannot keep them alive in the main display as there are just too many nippers.
Pkunk35
Valuable Member
I just wanted to share my Christmas tree worm rock. From everything I have read and heard, it is pretty hard to find these anymore, let alone with the worms thriving in a rock with no live Porites coral. I have had this rock for 2 years and the guy I got it from had kept them for 2 years before I got it, also with no live coral. I have about 17(ish) worms in this rock that is roughly the size of a baseball. These are my absolute favorite things in my tank so if you guys/gals are keeping them, lets see the pics!
Wow truly ridiculous piece with such longevity, so rare for these worms.
I have found them to be easily preyed upon by even the smallest things. OP, can I ask you if you have Bristleworms in your tank? I have long suspected these are what took out the worms on my piece that I had for over a year.
OP
OP
College_Reefer
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Thank you! Its true that you definitely have to be careful what you add. I have no hermits in this tank for that exact reason. I had an emerald crab but caught him nipping at one so I sent it to a farm where it can run free.... I do have a few bristleworms but not many. I havent noticed any negative interactions between the two in my tank however it is totally possible that that is what caused yours to die.
Leslie Tabor
Valuable Member
I had a some when I first started my tank. I LOVED them. I didn't know what the heck I was doing but they lived quite awhile. Now that I am more experienced, I would love to get more but not at the prices I have seen. They are beautiful, congrats on keeping them happy for so long!
OP
OP
College_Reefer
Active Member
Thanks! I got them knowing mostly what iI was getting into and what they needed but figured I would gjve it the ole college try and its been working out really really well for them. I have learned a ton about them since then too.
BighohoReef
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@ReeferBlaine has some of the nicest xmas tree pieces I've seen live. Check out his youtube, he doesn't call them out specifically in the video but you can see the two rocks in the front. I keep trying to get him to make a video on it 
KingTideCorals
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I LOVE THIS THREAD!!! I was made for this thread LOL hello all!
Glad to be a part! Here is one of my pieces.
Glad to be a part! Here is one of my pieces.
StlSalt
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Another nice piece. Are mine the only ones building columns to live in? The tubes they've built do seem to grow, maybe it's just the coral doing it's thing, but I'd think the worm would have to have some influence.
OP
OP
College_Reefer
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Thats a super nice looking piece! Its interesting to see them all with the coral alive and hearing about care for that too because for me, that is a factor I have never had to take into account. Ill have to check out your channel too!I LOVE THIS THREAD!!! I was made for this thread LOL hello all!
Glad to be a part! Here is one of my pieces.
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