Concern about a worm

[kurt]

I was checking my live rock a few days ago and found the tube worm. After doing some research on here (man I love this site) I found the one it was.

Here a pic of what I have

Phoronopsis harmeri from the N.E. Pacific, showing the animal extending from its tube and feeding.

Is this ok to have in the tank? Will it multiple? What do I feed it?

Thanks

 

[NaH2O]

These types of "dusters" are perfectly safe to have in an aquarium. They feed on fine particulates in the water column of various origins. All you would need to do to feed them is occasionally blast off your live rock with a turkey baster or small powerhead, and clean the glass. You should put enough particulates in the water column it would feed fine. IMO, these are too small for supplemental feeding, which would do nothing but add excess nutrients to the tank. If you see a big explosion of these thing, then you've had a nutrient spike of some kind. When tanks are set-up new, alot of times you see spirorbid polychaetes explode in population as the tank's cycle is over. For those that don't know, Spirorbid polychaetes are small hard spiral shapes that you'll often find on the back of a new tank, on pumps or in overflows.

I won't link you to the article the photo is from, but here is another article on Featherdusters: Featherdusters in the Aquarium

 

[kurt]

speaking of power heads, how much flow do live rock like? Right now I'm using a small powerhead to move water, I'm looking to upgrade to another one but do not want to over power the live rock with to much flow.

 

[NaH2O]

You really want to base your flow on the types of livestock you wish to keep. As far as flow on rocks only? As long as there is good flow around the rocks, and through it a bit if you can, then you will help eliminate dead spots where detritus can accumulate. If the detritus is allowed to sit and breakdown for too long, then you run the risk of algae growing in those areas of collection. You can keep the tank the way it is if you wish (but another wouldn't hurt), blast the rocks before a water change, and siphon out some of the detritus that gets kicked up into the water column.

 

[kurt]

thanks for help, by the way this is my first freebie from my live rock that I can see lol

 

[ronj]

you will probably start finding alot of stuff in the coming months!!! do you have sand on the bottom???what are you planning on kepping in your tank????

 

[kurt]

no cruch coral right now, so far my plans right now it will be my holding tank for new fish until I get my bigger tank going. But now all I have is live rock, coral banded shrimp, two domino damsels, yellowtail damsel, green crab and snails. The tanks a little over 5 months old

 

[ronj]

what kinds of fish are you looking at????what size tank are you looking to upgrade to????

 

[kurt]

well I'm starting a 30 gallon I have to put some beginners corals in. Sand bottom and live rock. Only fish in that tank will be flame angel, green chromis and percula clowns, a few inverts

once it is going for a year I'm going to get a 75 gallon lol