Anyone Keeping X-Mas Rocks Anymore

[Tamberav]

Divers Den gets them under their SPS updates.

https://www.liveaquaria.com/diversd...ref=4282&subref=AI&cmpid=E-_-TR-_-DDN-_-PRDCT

 

[TessGlo]

Getting and x- mas tree worm rock was one of my holy grail items. Thanks for this thread so I can on about them. First, I started two years ago with the Indonesian type that have much smaller worms, 1st photo below. Then about 8 months ago my LFS had the Australian beauty below and the money just poured out of my wallet, $300 of it. I've never spent so much on a single live item for my tank. My success with the smaller worms made me confident enough to think that it is possible to keep the larger species alive long term.

What has been particularly interesting to watch is how the worms seem to learn what is normal for your tank and become less shy/ more bold. Stated differently, they seem to learn that they are not going to be harmed by the fish normally swimming in my tank and stay out of their tubes more.

What I am curious from others who have kept these worms is what you feed, how much, and how often? Right now I have my doser feeding phyto and zoo plankton every day, at a fairly decent amount, slightly more than the starting dose listed on most packages. I use a small pump to stir the mixture before the doser kicks on and the return stays off for an hour afterwards.

The Australian one started in my QT tank but after about 60 days I noticed that the coral and worms were absolutely crawling with large amphibious, who were obviously thriving given all the phyto and zoo plankton I was feeding. While it didn't seem that the amphibious were harming the worms or coral the worms became much more shy, even during feeding, so I decided to put it into my display, home to two hungry wrasses, a few days before I typically would. Needless to say my potters and lepord wrasses made quick work of the amphipods and I noticed the worms out more. I've only lost one worm and it appears that they have all stayed the same or grown in size.

 

[Salty Lemon]

Getting and x- mas tree worm rock was one of my holy grail items. Thanks for this thread so I can on about them. First, I started two years ago with the Indonesian type that have much smaller worms, 1st photo below. Then about 8 months ago my LFS had the Australian beauty below and the money just poured out of my wallet, $300 of it. I've never spent so much on a single live item for my tank. My success with the smaller worms made me confident enough to think that it is possible to keep the larger species alive long term.

What has been particularly interesting to watch is how the worms seem to learn what is normal for your tank and become less shy/ more bold. Stated differently, they seem to learn that they are not going to be harmed by the fish normally swimming in my tank and stay out of their tubes more.

What I am curious from others who have kept these worms is what you feed, how much, and how often? Right now I have my doser feeding phyto and zoo plankton every day, at a fairly decent amount, slightly more than the starting dose listed on most packages. I use a small pump to stir the mixture before the doser kicks on and the return stays off for an hour afterwards.

The Australian one started in my QT tank but after about 60 days I noticed that the coral and worms were absolutely crawling with large amphibious, who were obviously thriving given all the phyto and zoo plankton I was feeding. While it didn't seem that the amphibious were harming the worms or coral the worms became much more shy, even during feeding, so I decided to put it into my display, home to two hungry wrasses, a few days before I typically would. Needless to say my potters and lepord wrasses made quick work of the amphipods and I noticed the worms out more. I've only lost one worm and it appears that they have all stayed the same or grown in size.

Wow! Beautiful!

 

[Salty Lemon]

Divers Den gets them under their SPS updates.

https://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/itemdisplay.cfm?c=2733+2&ddid=464648&ref=4282&subref=AI&cmpid=E-_-TR-_I -DDN-_-PRDCT

I put myself on the email me when available list -- but under the inverts/fan worms section. I didn't know there was an SPS waitlist for a CTR too.

 

[Jon Warner]

Having watched the wholesale importation of fish and corals for... 30+ years, it's amazing what IS available today that was not available before and vice versa.

There are a number of factors. One is freight costs. How many pieces will fit into a standard insulated shipping box from the South Pacific back to LA?

Another, of course is CITES and other rules and regs. One upon a time, 2-3" Ultra Maxima clams were $8 landed in LA.

 

[luckylepgw]

Always wanted some of these...

 

[ca1ore]

Couldn't resist (which is code for …. paid too much).

 

[Auto-pilot]

Couldn't resist (which is code for …. paid too much).

I don't know man! I saw that one on Ebay and I wanted it! I would have paid the same that you did especially with the green color coral

 

[ca1ore]

Yeah, you don't see worm rocks with cyphastrea as the hosting coral all that often. Mostly it is porities.

 

[Auto-pilot]

post pics when you get it!! I think they are awesome!

 

[TexasReefer82]

i love X-mas tree worm rocks! I have a small X-mas tree worm rock about the size of a Lacrosse ball. It originally was covered in many colorful worms - unfortunately, I only have a single worm left. The coral itself went through quite a rough period of adaptation over the initial months after acquiring it.

The coral was originally brown/beige and was healthy. After some weeks /months the coral appeared to at least partially bleach and became very unhappy (BTW, I have a tank full of very happy acropora and other SPS). Polyp extension stopped an it encased itself within a mucus covering and experienced slow tissue recession from the bottom up. To fix this I placed the coral literally directly in front of a pulsing wave-maker powerhead and everyone (coral and worms) seemed pretty happy here and began to recover. Ultimately the coral did not become fully happy again until it turned green. I wonder if it had to acquire the green fluorescent protein from it's neighbors or it really takes such a large stressor to turn on the GFP gene? Apparently the GFP is necessary for it to adapt and handle the high light intensity of my tank.

The health of the worms was also up and down and seemed very dependent on placement in the tank. At one point the worms were all very happy and had all grown noticeably and were always out. I moved the coral down onto the sand, about 6" lower, because the coral itself appeared to be bleaching (as mentioned above), and within a couple weeks the worms declined quickly and never recovered. I suppose it could have been due to different flow patterns and differing availability of food particles. In any case these things seem quite finicky to me.

Currently the fully recovered coral is neon green and very happy, has great polyp extension, and shows good growth as it recovers over its original skeleton. But there's only one worm, haha.

 

[madweazl]

These have always been one of my favorites. I've been on LAs "email me when available" list for at least two years now.

 

[Salty Lemon]

Couldn't resist (which is code for …. paid too much).

Whatever you paid -- it was a deal. It looks awesome.

 

[vetteguy53081]

When I owned my pet store, they were plentiful and colorful. Now that these are mentioned, what has become of this once very available rock?

 

[Kalibur2]

Will a melanarus wrasse eat the worms?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Will a melanarus wrasse eat the worms?

Not that type of worm. Probably not

 

[JDnKY]

I bought a large one -- including shipping, it cost $117. I'm guessing I'm getting more of a frag than a full rock. But it is a start and I just want to have one.

Did you receive the Christmas Tree worm rock yet? Any pictures?

 

[Salty Lemon]

Did you receive the Christmas Tree worm rock yet? Any pictures?

Nope! Haven't seen a thing. I'm actually starting to worry about it.

 

[JDnKY]

Nope! Haven't seen a thing. I'm actually starting to worry about it.

That stinks. I would give them a call tomorrow if it’s been a week and you haven’t heard anything yet. I’ve really been thinking about ordering one if yours was nice.

 

[Algaewarrior]

Love the article! Thanks a bunch.

He also has a few videos of them in his YouTube channel.