Coco worm not opening up big

[Weapon_Master]

I bought a white coco worm with 2 heads from Pasir Ris farm 8 days ago. It was opening up big and nicely when I got it.

However after I got home 5 hours later, and place the coco worm into my tank, it ended up in 2 lump instead of opening up big.

On the 6 day 1 of its head is gone leaving 1 head left. Will the head grow back?

The single head that was left is also still not opening up big and on occasion still in 1 lump.

I have 1 tube worm that happens to be thriving and growing bigger in my tank.

Can anyone advise what could be wrong in this case? What should I be looking out for?

I thought it should be relatively easy to keep them?

[southpaw23]

Hey there Weapon Master,

Unfortunately, Coco worms are not like normal tube worms/feather dusters and are actually a little more difficult to keep. Do a search on them and u'll find that they're particularly sensitive to acclimation and water conditions.

Did you acclimate the Coco worm before putting it in ur tank...and if so, how was it done. If it wasn't done gradually, the Coco may have been stressed in the process (thus losing one of it's heads) Other signs would be it not opening up fully and looking a little more retracted.

Unfortunately, there's not much i can think of that you can do rite now but ensure that your water quality is good and give it time to recover...if it ever does.

I was lucky with mine....i didn't gradually acclimate mine too and it was all it's tentacles were retracted for about a week or so but thankfully mine started recovering after about 2 weeks. Give it some time and observe it.....hopefully it'll pull thru.

[Weapon_Master]

Thanks for that. Its just probably a waiting game now and ensure that water quality is correct.

It for sure that I didnt acclimitise it properly. I just left the wrapping on my tank for 1 hour. After which I threw it in straight away.

Whats the best way of acclimitising these coco worms? Would it be the same as acclimitising fishes? Gotta slowly add in your tank water bit by bit etc?

[danano]

Whats the best way of acclimitising these coco worms? Would it be the same as acclimitising fishes? Gotta slowly add in your tank water bit by bit etc?

Gradually mixing in your tank water over a span of 1 to 2 hours should do the trick. Not very different from how you acclimatise your fish.

Btw, what and how many fish do you keep? Are they reef (i.e "feather duster/tube worm") safe? Generally speaking, triggers, pufferfish, filefish, boxfish and butterfly fish are a "no-no".

As southpaw said, your water conditions need to be optimal for the coco worms to thrive, unlike some of the other more common tube worms.

[Gouldian]

I bought a white coco worm with 2 heads from Pasir Ris farm 8 days ago. It was opening up big and nicely when I got it.

However after I got home 5 hours later, and place the coco worm into my tank, it ended up in 2 lump instead of opening up big.

On the 6 day 1 of its head is gone leaving 1 head left. Will the head grow back?

The single head that was left is also still not opening up big and on occasion still in 1 lump.

I have 1 tube worm that happens to be thriving and growing bigger in my tank.

Can anyone advise what could be wrong in this case? What should I be looking out for?

I thought it should be relatively easy to keep them?

Hi Weaponmaster,

Sorry to read about your predicatment, I guess as you have mentioned "it is a matter of waiting".

For me I have two coco about 1cm long only. it came attached to the liferock and it has been growing.

I don't really give a hoot about them but the seems to be doing fine.

[Creetin]

my coco worm also lately has been problematic... it was fine for a few months and then suddenly it didnt appear for a few weeks. when i tot it was dead it came back again but the crown is much smaller. but nowdays it doesnt come out often and only does so when the lights are dimmed... anyone know y?

[danano]

my coco worm also lately has been problematic... it was fine for a few months and then suddenly it didnt appear for a few weeks. when i tot it was dead it came back again but the crown is much smaller. but nowdays it doesnt come out often and only does so when the lights are dimmed... anyone know y?

It could be starving...

[Gouldian]

It could be starving...

Hi Bro,

Do we need to delebrately feed the cocos? Are they will survive by filter feeding?

So you know, mine is only 1cm, even if I want to feed also know know how.

[wilfran]

Hi to all member, I just also got a coco with 2 head, about 10 day ago.

only saw it open once, can any one advice me on what to feel them.thanks

[Creetin]

It could be starving...

issit? but i do feed mi corals regularly....

[bwilly]

I dose my coco with planktons..

so far oki.. it loses its "head" (crown), after some major rescape. all the debris stuck on its crown, so it drop the crown, n grow back after 2weeks. now openinng again.

[Creetin]

i feed DT leh...

[Weapon_Master]

Gradually mixing in your tank water over a span of 1 to 2 hours should do the trick. Not very different from how you acclimatise your fish.

Btw, what and how many fish do you keep? Are they reef (i.e "feather duster/tube worm") safe? Generally speaking, triggers, pufferfish, filefish, boxfish and butterfly fish are a "no-no".

As southpaw said, your water conditions need to be optimal for the coco worms to thrive, unlike some of the other more common tube worms.

Thanks for you advise. I will take note of the acclimitisation part.

I only have 2 True Perc clown fish in there now. Used to have 1 fire goby, 1 princess anthias and 1 social wrasse and none of them would be a danger to the coco worm.

[Marineman]

Coco worms does not last very long especially the white ones, the red coloured ones are more hardy, again they perish after a few months. Occasionally, like some of you had experienced, the worm will come out or disappear and a new baby one will appear, in the long run, it will totally disappear.

Anyone has kept coco worm for more than a year and still looks good? If you do, can you share with us your tank parameters and what food do you feed them?