Tubeworm

[mAriNe_enthusiast]

Guys,

What shd i do?

Remove it or stuff it back?

[metals99]

dun worry they will grow a new tube for themselves given the time!!!

[bum]

if there are no predators,

the tube will grow back.

if you can, slot it in a hole in your LR,

not too deep though.

if the crabs dun get it...

it might recover.

mine did

[mAriNe_enthusiast]

shd i stuff it back to the original tubing?

[bum]

IMO, no point.

i'd leave it alone as much as possible...

place it in a relatively safe place and let it recover.

its ###### already and pretty stressed...

i wouldn't grope it too much

[mAriNe_enthusiast]

i have already placed it back...

will not disturb it anymore hope it recovers.

worried it will die...

[uncleliew]

i have already placed it back...

will not disturb it anymore hope it recovers.

worried it will die...

I do not know how you did it, it could be a laborous task for you then.

I followed a case in arofanatics forum with interest. He left the worm outside its tube (to die off). After a week or so, a new worm grew again.

I have interest with your attempt. Please continue to provide updates of its condition after what you have done since. BTW, my tubeworm had been with me for 6 months, yet to have this problem.

All the best!

[mAriNe_enthusiast]

I only try to push the little fellow back into the tube.

It was stuck in only for a while but it dropped out again.

I placed it in a little hole in a pc of LR but this morning, it's missing.

Aiyah... can't find it already.

What is the reason a tubeworm leave the tube?

i ponder...

[Sinn]

did u disturb it?

the last time i did it was cause i handled it to rough

[mAriNe_enthusiast]

No..i don't think so.

I was away the whole day and when i checked upon my livestocks,

i realised it had dropped out of the tube...

too strong current could possibly cause it?

[Aspire]

I think it could be due to poor water condition. Not to worry. Mine drop out too. After abt a mth or so, new worm starts to grow back..

[Razo]

it will grow back... just hope the crab or prawn dont disturb them.... dun stuff the wirm into the old tube.. dun throw away the tube too.. mine worm died 2 mths ago .. n i dun bother to take out the tube coz already stuck tightly to the rocks.. then last week i saw baby featherduster coming out from the tube...hehheeh bonus

[mAriNe_enthusiast]

Oh...so a new worm will grow out of the tube...

that's gd.

What colour will it be? follow the colour of the previous tube worm?

this is interesting.

[Razo]

mine previous worm is of med size.. brown colour .. common type ... that tube have not only open for the last 2 months.. then just week i saw a small duster coming out from the tube ..diameter size of a pea

[hongqixian]

What you all see is usually the worm's crown/head. If the body drops out of the tube, then put the worm in a safe place with some fine sand or detritus. It will rebuild a tube if it is the soft tube variety. If it is put at the sand bed or the rocks it is almost certain that bristleworms or crabs will attack its exposed body at night.

If it is only the fluffy head/crown that catches food for the worm that drops off, the worm usually grows a proper sized new one (IN GOOD CONDITIONS) in a few weeks.

There is no possibility of an empty mud tube having a baby worm resurrect inside.

P.S. the worms usually seal their mud tube at the top when they have just dropped off their old crown and are growing a new crown. There is no way to catch food then so they just protect themselves. Empty tube are limp and floppy. Tubes with worms inside will feel a bit stiff when pressed gently.

[uncleliew]

No..i don't think so.

I was away the whole day and when i checked upon my livestocks,

i realised it had dropped out of the tube...

too strong current could possibly cause it?

Moderate current should be ideal.

The tubeworm works similarly to our feather duster. We use feather duster to sweep away tiny dust particles whereas the tentacles of the worm await the fine particles (e.g. phytoplankton) to brush through it. These tantacles are slimmy. Thus when the fine particles are caught, it withdraws all tentacles into its trunk to 'consume'.

If enough fine particles are consumed over time, it grows proportionally in size. In contrary, due to deficiency of food, it either remains in size or shrink in size as compared with the day when you first owned it. Under such condition, very often, the crown will shed off from its trunk and a new one will evolve weeks after. This shed-and-evolve scenes may repeat two or three times before it totally die off due to starvation. Hope this information is beneficial to you.

[Air]

Read that the worm will discard the tube if the water condition is ....quite poor

[jOO]

all i know is that worms living in the sand(buried) would leave the tube and come out of the sand if the oxygen level is too low

[mAriNe_enthusiast]

the worms usually seal their mud tube at the top when they have just dropped off their old crown and are growing a new crown.

The tube sealed up and looks stiff to me...Hope there'll be a new worm coming out soon.

In contrary, due to deficiency of food, it either remains in size or shrink in size as compared with the day when you first owned it.

It grew larger when i started dosing DT planktons.

So i don't think it's because of lack of food...

Read that the worm will discard the tube if the water condition is ....quite poor

My nitrate is 15-20 ppm. It's not low but i think still alrite

But now the crown is no where in sight liao...think got consumed already.

[Air]

nitrate its not the onli consideration in determining quality....nitrite, ammonia, ph, etc,etc??

[mAriNe_enthusiast]

nitrate its not the onli consideration in determining quality....nitrite, ammonia, ph, etc,etc??

I just did some test this afternoon...

ph was ard 8.4 and phosphate(does this matters?) was 0.1mg/l.

I din check the ammonia and nitrite...maybe shd check tom.

[mAriNe_enthusiast]

Sorry guys,

There is another tubeworm question.

I have got another tubeworm that was purchased not too long ago. There is an opening at the side of the tube and the crown emerges from there instead of the poper opening...

HMM... the crown has not been able to open fully because of this too.

Can i(just asking ) trim off the top part of the tube or can wait for the tube silt to close up.

Thanks...

[hoppinghippos]

IMO, no point.

i'd leave it alone as much as possible...

place it in a relatively safe place and let it recover.

its ###### already and pretty stressed...

i wouldn't grope it too much

bum... that sounds... err....

[Razo]

There is no possibility of an empty mud tube having a baby worm resurrect inside.

i'll try to take a shot at the bb feather for u to see.. compare the original (old tube against the bb feather n u will know wad i mean.. i would say rare chance instead of "no possibility"

Empty tube are limp and floppy. Tubes with worms inside will feel a bit stiff when pressed gently.

i did press n feel the empty tube 1~2 months back n there was no worms inside..

[hongqixian]

Sorry guys,

There is another tubeworm question.

I have got another tubeworm that was purchased not too long ago. There is an opening at the side of the tube and the crown emerges from there instead of the poper opening...

HMM... the crown has not been able to open fully because of this too.

Can i(just asking ) trim off the top part of the tube or can wait for the tube silt to close up.

Thanks...

You can just make a small slit to widen the opening. That way, the worm can join together the bits of mud tubing with the mucus it secretes to enlarge its tube when it grows. If you snip it off totally the worm might be more prone to attacks by crabs/shrimp/fish/anything else