feather dusted

[fishtender]

something dusted my feather last night!!!

I don't know what could have happened. When I got home from work, I took my flashlight as I normally do to check on my fishies and there it was just laying on the sb all fluffy like it used to be when it was amongst the living. BOO HOO!!! It's tube is closed up like it was when it was hiding from critters. What do you think could have happened? This isn't one of those freak things that feathers do to scare their owners is it? I mean like my shrimp does when he leaves his full carcass laying on the bottom and I panic till I see the new him clinging to his favorite piece of LR?

Please let me know how I am supposed to feel about this could be tragedy.

Thanks,

Howard

 

[reefrunner69]

So all you see is the tube? Or are the tube and crown separated? Does the worm move in the tube if you touch it?

 

[fishtender]

The tube and crown(feather part) is definately seperated. The tube is closed at the top as when it was normally sucked in. I touched the tube but I couldn't sense any movement.

Should I just wait to see if anything happens. I was hoping it was silly quirk that feathers do. How long do you think I should wait, and if it turns out that it is dead, will it foul my tank?

Howard

 

[reefrunner69]

Feather dusters drop their crowns when they are under stress, either from predation by other animals, or water parameters usually. If you find the source of the stress and eliminate it, then the feather duster should regrow it's crown in a couple of weeks, if it's still alive.