Christmas Tree Worms

mylady

mylady

Member
Does anyone have any? I came acorss pictures of them while looking up Christmas tree coral and I am intrigued. What little info I could find on them said they are difficult to keep, but it doesn't say why. They are filter feeders, prefer shady spots and need phytoplankton, but I don't see any other info as to what makes them difficult to keep.
 
mylady

mylady

Member
OK, I did some more looking and found more info about them and their host coral. Makes more sense to me now. Way more than anything we're ready for! But they certainly are pretty.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
The Xmas worms I saw while researching my ugly guy...
They are no harder to keep than any fan worm. They need no light, and just filter feed.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Great picture...Christmas tree rock, I know I had seen someplace selling the rock but I can't find it now....never mind..found it.
 
mylady

mylady

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///forum/thread/384007/christmas-tree-worms#post_3362439
The Xmas worms I saw while researching my ugly guy...
They are no harder to keep than any fan worm. They need no light, and just filter feed.
What I found is they host on a piorite rock which are hard to keep and if water conditions are not good enough to keep the rock alive, the worms won't live long either. pardon the missplelling of the rock, I know it's wrong but too lazy to look up the correct spelling LOL
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by MyLady http:///forum/thread/384007/christmas-tree-worms#post_3362510
What I found is they host on a piorite rock which are hard to keep and if water conditions are not good enough to keep the rock alive, the worms won't live long either. pardon the missplelling of the rock, I know it's wrong but too lazy to look up the correct spelling LOL
I read they host on all kinds of corals and rocks. It makes no sense to try and keep a rock alive. Are you able to post where you read it? I understand if it was another forum and you can't...
Here is what I read:
Spirobranchus giganteus is commonly found embedded in entire heads of massive corals. Like members of its family, it can secrete a calcareous tube around its body. This tube serves as the worm's home and protection. S. giganteus usually bores a hole into an existing head of living coral before secreting its tube, thereby increasing its level of protection.
As sedentary inhabitants of coral reefs, Christmas tree worms feed primarily by filter feeding. They use their brightly-colored radioles to filter microorganisms from the water, which are then deposited straight into the worm's digestive tract.
Few organisms are known to feed on tube-borne polychaetes and S. giganteus is no exception.
 
S

smartorl

Guest
Agreed. They are very common on the market here. I believe, but could be wrong, that they are collected in the Gulf. My understanding is that it is essentially a rock with organisms that are very much like our featherdusters in needs and requirements.
I have never had them personally because those that I have seen just haven't been anywhere close to the one that was pictured and tend to be a little more run of the mill.
 
mylady

mylady

Member
Here is the thread I found
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/forum/thread/80174/christmas-tree-worms
It's porite coral they host. Sorry, my noobiness is showing!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///forum/thread/384007/christmas-tree-worms#post_3362530
I read they host on all kinds of corals and rocks. It makes no sense to try and keep a rock alive. Are you able to post where you read it? I understand if it was another forum and you can't...
Here is what I read:
Spirobranchus giganteus is commonly found embedded in entire heads of massive corals. Like members of its family, it can secrete a calcareous tube around its body. This tube serves as the worm's home and protection. S. giganteus usually bores a hole into an existing head of living coral before secreting its tube, thereby increasing its level of protection.
As sedentary inhabitants of coral reefs, Christmas tree worms feed primarily by filter feeding. They use their brightly-colored radioles to filter microorganisms from the water, which are then deposited straight into the worm's digestive tract.
Few organisms are known to feed on tube-borne polychaetes and S. giganteus is no exception.
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
I have a Porites rock in my tank. It is doing well but the 8 or so worms that came with it have all gone. I think the shrimp picked them off but cannot say that for sure as I did not see it. But them shrimpies are noctural little buggers and seem to like feather dusters IME.
Porites are those large boulders you see in pictures of the ocean sometimes. Like this......


Here is mine, did have worms but not any more.

It also came with this weird little commensal crabby. Have not seen him in a long time either.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Funny guy..when we are reading something and it sounds logical all you had to really say is the large coral is the rock and that it hosts a SPS coral...but no instread you prefere to poke fun at me...Point taken
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Are you talking to me? Was not poking any fun at you. Just showing people that large boulder coral they sometimes see in pictures is actually porites rock (what they are called, porites is the SPS on the rock) and my experience with them.
I don't understand.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by spanko http:///forum/thread/384007/christmas-tree-worms#post_3362730
Are you talking to me? Was not poking any fun at you. Just showing people that large boulder coral they sometimes see in pictures is actually porites rock (what they are called, porites is the SPS on the rock) and my experience with them.
I don't understand.
Yes, I was talking to you, you hurt my feelings. I will get over it.
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Not sure how I hurt your feelings but I was not even speaking to anything you have said here.
 
monsinour

monsinour

Active Member
I dont see it either spanko, but that is some cool pics and great info. I dont think we will be trying this in our tank. I dont think our lighting is good for that coral atm.
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
It is SPS coral so natural seawater parameters and good flow with T5, LED or Metal halide to reach the bottom of the tank where it should be placed.
 
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