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Spirobranchus giganteus
Care guide, husbandry, breeding, disease, sourcing, and tankmate intelligence on Christmas Tree Worm - written by the Fast Aquatics editorial team and cross-verified against vendor records on the live marketplace.
Christmas Tree Worm requires a minimum of 30 gallons for healthy adults. The minimum is based on the species' adult size (1.5 inch crown), territorial range, and behavior pattern. Most Christmas Tree Worm sold at small juvenile size will reach full adult size within 12-24 months and the system must be sized to the adult, not the juvenile.
The Christmas Tree Worm is rated intermediate difficulty on this care sheet. It needs a tank of at least 30 gallons, a temperature of 76-80°F (24-27°C) and pH 8.1-8.4. Adults reach about 1.5 inch crown and live 4-10 years. Christmas Tree Worm (Spirobranchus giganteus) is a intermediate-care saltwater species that thrives in tanks of 30 gallons or larger with stable parameters.
Christmas Tree Worm requires standard reef parameters held tightly stable: Temperature: 76-80°F (24-27°C) Specific gravity: 1.025 (refractometer-measured) pH: 8.1-8.4 Alkalinity: 8-9 dKH Calcium: 420-450 ppm Magnesium: 1300-1400 ppm Ammonia + nitrite: Both 0 ppm Nitrate: Under 10 ppm Copper: 0 (lethal to invertebrates) Christmas Tree Worm is sensitive to copper - never medicate the display tank with copper if Christmas Tree Worm is present.
Christmas Tree Worm is a plankton filter feeder. Filter-feeds on suspended plankton and dissolved organics. Target-feed live phytoplankton, rotifers, or commercial reef foods (Reef Roids, Coral Frenzy) 2-3x weekly to ensure adequate nutrition. Feed Christmas Tree Worm appropriately for its size + activity level.
Christmas Tree Worm is generally peaceful and compatible with most reef community species. Avoid keeping with predatory fish that view inverts as food: large wrasses (especially halichoeres + thalassoma), triggerfish, pufferfish, and certain large angelfish. Multiple Christmas Tree Worm can share a tank but compete for food. Browse care guides for tankmate-compatibility tables for Christmas Tree Worm and similar species.
Christmas Tree Worm reaches 1.5 inch crown at adulthood with a captive lifespan of 4-10 years with proper care. Many marine inverts molt periodically; provide adequate calcium and a stable parameter regime to support healthy molts. The minimum is based on the species' adult size (1.5 inch crown), territorial range, and behavior pattern.
Christmas Tree Worm is sensitive to copper, ammonia spikes, low oxygen, and rapid parameter swings. NEVER use copper medications in a tank with Christmas Tree Worm. Symptoms of stress: reclusive behavior, color loss, refusal to feed, abnormal molting (incomplete or stuck molts). Most Christmas Tree Worm deaths trace back to acclimation shock or parameter mismatch - drip-acclimate over 45-60 minutes when adding to a new tank.
Christmas Tree Worm (Spirobranchus giganteus) is native to Indo-Pacific reef ecosystems, with wild populations distributed across coral reefs, sandy lagoons, and rocky tide pools. Captive specimens are typically wild-collected; some species are starting to be aquacultured but most Christmas Tree Worm sold today still comes from wild reef collection. Sustainable sourcing matters - look for vendors who can verify their collection practices, and consider aquacultured alternatives when available.
Other species in the same category with care profiles on Fast Aquatics. Click any name for the full husbandry breakdown.
Christmas Tree Worm taxonomy and care recommendations cross-checked against the following authoritative references and our internal vendor + breeder database.
Browse the full disease database, calculator collection, aquarium glossary, or Q&A library for additional reference.