(Answered) Tubeworm Paradise Advice?

[WormLicker]

EDIT: Thank you for the feedback! I now have a better working idea on annelid care/environments.

 

Howdy all, thank you in advance for advice. 

 

I've started my first reef tank (30G flex box set) and I'm presently monitoring the first cycle. I have live sand, baked rock and one wet live from my reputable aqua store (about one fourth rock is live? By weight?) 

 

I'm a very slow going person, so I'm not in a rush. I'm enjoying the process. Though I'm at the point where I'd like some planning advice for the end goal, tube worm paradise. 

 

Atleast, I think I want that. 

 

I've been looking at corals for Christmas tree worms primarily, but I'm an absolute newbie and the more I read the less.. prepared I feel. Very open to species suggestions.

 

So. Any advice for the order of operations here? I don't plan to add anything for atleast another two weeks.

-Is clean up crew necessary for a filter feeder tank?

-Corals first? 

-Shrimp will eat tube worms ??

-Best choices for first additions to establish a healthy ecosystem?

 

Thank you!

Edited August 4, 2021 by WormLicker
Questions answered

[Tired]

Is it good live rock? You should be able to look at it and see lots of algae, sponges, mini tubeworms, and all sorts of things like that. It should be loads of colors. If it's just stark, painted purple, that's probably rock that's just been in a tub of water for awhile. Technically that'll have some bacteria, but for good biodiversity, you want rock that's been sat in the ocean for a few years and picked things up. 

 

Cleanup crew is required, yes, they eat algae and whatnot. 

 

Corals absolutely first. Tubeworms should only go in heavily established tanks, since they're filter-feeders. I'd give 'em quite awhile before you try to add any. 

 

Cleaner shrimp may pick at and annoy tubeworms. 

 

Once your tank is cycled and has algae all over the rocks, add some snails. Wait a couple weeks, then add a fish. You should have one fish, at least, so it'll eat amphipods and prevent them from multiplying too much. Excess amphipods can annoy corals. Then just wait awhile, adding a coral now and then if you like, and letting the tank mature. You want a mature tank with lots of little critters living in it, as they're good indicators of the biodiversity and stability that well suits tubeworms. 

 

You may want to look into culturing phytoplankton. It's pretty simple, and will give you a nice supply of food for your tubeworms. 

[WormLicker]

55 minutes ago, Tired said:

Is it good live rock? You should be able to look at it and see lots of algae, sponges, mini tubeworms, and all sorts of things like that. It should be loads of colors. If it's just stark, painted purple, that's probably rock that's just been in a tub of water for awhile. Technically that'll have some bacteria, but for good biodiversity, you want rock that's been sat in the ocean for a few years and picked things up. 

 

Cleanup crew is required, yes, they eat algae and whatnot. 

 

Corals absolutely first. Tubeworms should only go in heavily established tanks, since they're filter-feeders. I'd give 'em quite awhile before you try to add any. 

 

Cleaner shrimp may pick at and annoy tubeworms. 

 

Once your tank is cycled and has algae all over the rocks, add some snails. Wait a couple weeks, then add a fish. You should have one fish, at least, so it'll eat amphipods and prevent them from multiplying too much. Excess amphipods can annoy corals. Then just wait awhile, adding a coral now and then if you like, and letting the tank mature. You want a mature tank with lots of little critters living in it, as they're good indicators of the biodiversity and stability that well suits tubeworms. 

 

You may want to look into culturing phytoplankton. It's pretty simple, and will give you a nice supply of food for your tubeworms. 

Thank you! This is very helpful. 

Seems like the live rock I got is somewhere around "alright". It has several colors but nothing of note living on it. 

 

I was given adverse advice about the fish by the store, "you don't want a fish for that" so lol. Thank you. Seems I will need to know a bit more before visiting them next time. 

 

I'll definitely look at phytoplankton; I love growing food/feeders so this is likely what I'll end up doing. 

[DaJMasta]

Not much difference I think from a regular tank in terms of process, and stocking and corals can probably be about the same, though there will be some fish and inverts to avoid that would normally be predators.  The difference is going to come in your feeding and filtration.

 

I think you should consider a tank full of filter feeders and christmas tree worms in particular to basically be a fine particulate NPS tank, so you want heavy nutrient export and daily plankton feeding - probably both phyto and zooplankton daily should be considered a requirement even if you can maybe get away without.

 

People have some success in well established tanks that are well stocked and have particulate coral foods or similar fed, but I think live phyto and zooplankton will be the most likely ways to be successful.  You could try dead, concentrated varieties of each, and they may do great especially as supplements, but you're probably going to want at least one feeding of both a day and nutrient export to match that kind of load.  I think the live varieties will stay in suspension longer and take longer to fowl the water, but could actually be better for them to feed on as well - not sure.

I would try to research the animals you're looking at in particular, as a lot will be considered "expert" level and will have specific feeding requirements.  I think you'll also probably find success with finer particulates and smaller sizes - for example trigger pods may actually be too large for some of these worms to capture, but maybe something like parvocalanus or a smaller, pelagic copepod could be a good culturable zooplankton food.

[Tired]

Agreed with the above. If you just want one or two feather dusters, that's relatively easy, they can generally get part of their food from the plankton already present in the tank. For many of them, and particularly for Christmas tree worms, you want an established tank and a lot of feeding. 

 

There's no reason a fish would interfere with anything, as long as it wasn't a filter-feeder or a worm-eater. Light fish stocking might be a good idea, since you'll be feeding the worms a lot. You should probably pick one fish, not over 3", that you like. You could put more fish if you wanted, but I'd say you should definitely get at least one.