Tube worms kicking my but!

[Shawn_epicurious]

Yes, I am new here. This is my first post : ) when I ask a question are there things I am supposes to include... like tank size or filtration systems?

I am recently back as an aquarist after a 15 year hiatus. My tank is new... I am at 7 weeks with it and I am relying heavily on a professional I kind of partnered with... a local merchant... he has been good at keeping me from getting things I am not ready for.

everything in my tank is doing great! I have even impressed him... I cannot keep a tube worm alive. I’ve lost three. They keep crawling out of their tubes. I’ve tried them in places with high light and low light... high current and low current. Tube worms are supposed to be hardy....

any advice?

 

[Spare time]

Mayne not enough phyto for them to eat? Do you mean feather dusters or tube anemones?

 

[CK00020]

I think maybe a coco worm, and I have heard they are hard to keep alive for extended periods of time

 

[Spare time]

I would try dosing live phyto. Mercer of Montana on amazon has good prices. It's pretty easy to start a culture too

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Mayne not enough phyto for them to eat? Do you mean feather dusters or tube anemones?

I have two of the anemones in there still... down low in the tank... mild to slow current. They are doing okay : ) I lost threee feather dusters.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

I have two of the anemones in there still... down low in the tank... mild to slow current. They are doing okay : ) I lost threee feather dusters.

Everything else seems very happy with how I feed. I am using good foods. When you say “phyto”... I’m not all the way there with you. I can tell you what and how much I am feeding and the total amount of livestock... the professional I mentioned has me on a good feeding plan. (I think)

 

[sfin52]

Yes but nothing beats live phyto

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Yes but nothing beats live phyto

I was googling “phyto” just now. gonna read more : )

 

[sfin52]

I was googling “phyto” just now. gonna read more : )

Welcome to r2r

 

[Vinman]

I have some they came in as hitchhikers but I don't do anything to them in fact the more I look around my tank the more I see I hope this doesn't become a problem

 

[Spare time]

Everything else seems very happy with how I feed. I am using good foods. When you say “phyto”... I’m not all the way there with you. I can tell you what and how much I am feeding and the total amount of livestock... the professional I mentioned has me on a good feeding plan. (I think)

I know that a lot of these worms diet primarily on phytoplankton, bacteria, and orther microorganisms. They don't eat typical food

Aquarium Invertebrates: Featherdusters In The Aquarium - Reefs.com

Aquarium Invertebrates: Featherdusters In The Aquarium - This article covers the genera most often seen in aquaria.

www.advancedaquarist.com

https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/540/?pcatid=540

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

I have some they came in as hitchhikers but I don't do anything to them in fact the more I look around my tank the more I see I hope this doesn't become a problem

I remember my last tank doing that. It made me feel like the live rock was.. you know... alive : ) I had a few big patches... some sparse areas... this biology is better at achieving its own symbiosis than people. I wouldn’t worry about it taking over. You had to of done something right if they are thriving. Right?

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Welcome to r2r

Thank you

 

[Vinman]

I remember my last tank doing that. It made me feel like the live rock was.. you know... alive : ) I had a few big patches... some sparse areas... this biology is better at achieving its own symbiosis than people. I wouldn’t worry about it taking over. You had to of done something right if they are thriving. Right?

Thanks...its almost 20 years old but its had its ups and downs but the way the info and technology is now it's much easier to be successful

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Thanks...its almost 20 years old but its had its ups and downs but the way the info and technology is now it's much easier to be successful

My hiatus was really caused by my wallet... not ability, which is sad. But... ahem... don’t wanna sound... I can afford this... this time. This hobby is definitely easier with the things I can afford this time : ) I am feeling quite confident right now : ) ...it feels like I am doing it right.

partnering with a professional this time.... O. M. G. ! I am seeing EVERY mistake I made the firs time lol

thenthings that chased me away... no longer exist this time : )

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

My hiatus was really caused by my wallet... not ability, which is sad. But... ahem... don’t wanna sound... I can afford this... this time. This hobby is definitely easier with the things I can afford this time : ) I am feeling quite confident right now : ) ...it feels like I am doing it right.

partnering with a professional this time.... O. M. G. ! I am seeing EVERY mistake I made the firs time lol

thenthings that chased me away... no longer exist this time : )

And yet, I can’t keep a feather duster alive : (

 

[aquaman30k]

Welcome back and welcome to R2R! I would suggest a low light, low flow area where the tube can settle in. I’d also feed your tank phytoplankton twice a week. Hope the next one survives.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Welcome back and welcome to R2R! I would suggest a low light, low flow area where the tube can settle in. I’d also feed your tank phytoplankton twice a week. Hope the next one survives.

Just ordered some... thank you!

 

[good.reef]

I've had a giant feather duster for 9 months now it has grown and is doing well. My best suggestion is to make sure it is in an area where the flow will always push food past it/over it without it being in a direct flow. Mine is at the entrance of a tunnel and I 100% know for sure that the water pattern in my tank makes its way over the feather duster and through the tunnel. Also make sure that it's tube is secure and doesn't move around and that the base of the tube is touching the sand. I have mine wedged in (now attached to) between two rocks with about 1/4 inch buried in the sand. I feed phytoplankton every once in a while but my feather duster is huge and just eats particles from the water column. They also like "dirtier" water like a lot of LPS. I don't think they would thrive in a low nutrient system. Mine is just a regular brown giant but I really enjoy having it in my tank.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

I've had a giant feather duster for 9 months now it has grown and is doing well. My best suggestion is to make sure it is in an area where the flow will always push food past it/over it without it being in a direct flow. Mine is at the entrance of a tunnel and I 100% know for sure that the water pattern in my tank makes its way over the feather duster and through the tunnel. Also make sure that it's tube is secure and doesn't move around and that the base of the tube is touching the sand. I have mine wedged in (now attached to) between two rocks with about 1/4 inch buried in the sand. I feed phytoplankton every once in a while but my feather duster is huge and just eats particles from the water column. They also like "dirtier" water like a lot of LPS. I don't think they would thrive in a low nutrient system. Mine is just a regular brown giant but I really enjoy having it in my tank.

You mentioned a few things I missed... I tried poking mine in natural holes in the live rock. They were low in the tank, but not low enough to reach the sand.

I only remembered to start watching the water flow patterns... food dispersion patterns... a few days ago. That was probably another miss.

that and... from other comments... the right foods. Bammm. Trifecta.... dead feather dusters