Feather duster location

[Guest]

Any advice about how to locate feather dusters in a reef and fish tank, live rock, live sand?

What degree of height (elevation), water flow, lighting, proximity to other corals, freedom of movement, etc.?

Thanks.

 

[steve-s]

They like good water flow but light is irreleavent. They are complete filter feeders. They can pretty much be placed anywhere as long as they get good water flow and can attach to a hard surface. A decent spacing from corals is also good but I have found they are very resiliant to coral nematocysts. The thrre I have in my tank have been there many years and have not yet showed any problems.

(let me know if the pic doesn't show up)

Cheers
Steve

 

[Guest]

Awesome photo...thanks.

So you wouldn't just leave them in sand?...I gather you are saying they are better placed on rock.

 

[steve-s]

Personally I think they will do better if placed on a rocky surface than the sand. Less chance of problems if you change the aquascape. Find a crevace or such it can be gentley placed in and let it do it's thing. They will usually attach within a day or two IME.

Cheers
Steve

 

[scuba_steve]

hummmmmmm steve i have found that the dusters i have love being in the sand they build there tubes and tunnel using the sand to make the holes bigger better i guess !! how could they do this on a rock ??

 

[steve-s]

how could they do this on a rock ??

They don't. If placed in a hole or crevace in the rock where the base of the tube can safely attach, the worm builds it's tube outwards from there.

I'm not saying you cannot place the duster in the sand. That will be fine as well. I have found that they seem to do better when placed on/in hard surfaces. The ones I have placed in sand typically do not fair as well or live as long. Couldn't really tell you why, it's just been my experience.

Cheers
Steve

 

[scuba_steve]

humm ok i always thought they needed to be in the sand !! after a few months of being in the sand and having my copperbanded eating it i pulled it out and was surprised to see how much it had added to its tube using the sand id say it doubled its tube length and attached its self to a small rock and had dug under it kinda cool

 

[steve-s]

More than possible the tube growth rate was faster. They use detritus, mucus and other foreign matter to build their tubes. The abundance in the substrate will be much higher than anything it would catch free floating.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Guest]

A couple of times when I tried moving a feather duster from the sand, it was totally attached...couldn't move it...somehow they grab onto something. Also, mine have tended to move from wherever I originally placed them.

 

[scuba_steve]

hummmmmm the worm can move but didnt think they would take their tubes with ??

 

[steve-s]

hummmmmm the worm can move but didnt think they would take their tubes with ??

They can't unless something dislodges them. Typically it's just the worm that moves.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Wally]

The single one I have moved the end of the tube into another direction almost 180 degrees away.