Coco worm lost one crown

[CB Waters]

Hi everybody,

I purchased a coco worm a couple of weeks back, and so far it has been doing wonderfully in my tank. Today, I came home from work and found that it had shed one of it's crown. I have read that this can happen, and sometimes they will regrow their crown. Water parameters are all good, nitrates are .25ppm. I see the crown that it shed still in my tank, should I pull it out, or does it have the ability to grow a new tube? Any help would be appreciated!

 

[Nervoustime]

I would remove the crown from your tank. It does not have the ability to grow a new tube. As far as regrowing a new crown, it is highly possible with proper water conditions. In my experience, the new crown (in most cases) is not as bold in color as the original crown. I hope this helps.

 

[CB Waters]

Thanks!

 

[Nervoustime]

You're welcome

 

[fruit bat]

Our Coco did the same yesterday morning, it has been fine for the last six months even through a move to a new tank. I wondered wether it was unappy with its new home so i moved it to an area with greater flow. I know the worm is still alive because i can see it moving in the tube, but it hasnt fully extended its other crown yet. Heres hoping !

 

[magnum]

Mine lost its crown after the first week. It looked like something was picking at it. I could see a new crown forming and today is the first time it has extended out of the tube. I just hope that what ever was bothering it the first time backs off. It took about 2 weeks to grow back.

 

[fruit bat]

I just goes to show dont give up on things. During the tank move we accidentally pulled a feather duster worm out of its tube. We put it in the new tank and burried in the substrate. Four weeks later it had grown a new tube and is as happy as it ever was.

 

[LeslieH]

For a healthy individual losing the crown is nothing to worry about. In a stressed one however it's a bad sign. Often what happens is that a worm in unfavorable conditions (unsuitable parameters, predators, not enough food) will move out of it's tube and/or lose it's crown. If it survives it will rebuild the tube, regrow the crown, continue to do poorly, lose that one, and eventually die.