Feather Duster Problem

[ZekeMM]

If a Feather Duster leaves it's tube, is it doomed or is there still some hope? Can I do anything for it or should I leave it be? ALso, what would cause it to leave its tube? My water conditions are good and my other 7 dusters are doing fine. Thanks!

 

[possum]

If the entire worm leaves to tube i think that they are usually doomed but if he just shed his feathers as mine did once they should grow back the reason mine shed his feathers was because he was being picked on by a fish perhaps this is what happened to yours?

 

[Strictly Marine]

It depends, from my experience the larger hawaiian dusters seens to never recover from leaving its tube. The small red and green varieties seem to do better.
It might of been too stressed from the collection and transport. Many of these feather duster are living off of their reserves since the day they were collected to your tank.

 

[ZekeMM]

Well, I lost the Feather today. It lost the radioles and then it just started to slowly crawl out of its tube. Why? My other Dusters are fine and I don't overfeed them. My water parameters look good. Is it possible that my Yellow Tang that occasionally nips at it caused it to go? I don't see how. He was only in the tank for a day before the Duster started to go. Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

[steve-s]

Tangs will pick at soft corals and dusters if they are not being fed the proper vegetable matter they need. It could be that before you got the tang it was not properly fed and was looking to suppliment it's diet. If the duster was being picked at, that would definately cause it to cast it's crown and possibley jump the tube in hopes of finding a better place. Are there any other fish or possibley shrimp that may be suspect?

Have you started placing nori or other herbavor foods in the tank for the tang to graze on?

Cheers
Steve

 

[ZekeMM]

I have put some cubes of algae into the tank at feeding time but I guess I should put some Nori or lettuce for it to graze on. I don't see anything else besides the Tang that could have caused it. I will try to take care of it tomorrow.

 

[snapcrackler]

Dusters like phytoplankton and micro foods like that, are you adding some of that to your tank regularly?

I also read that some crabs like to "strangle" feather dusters by clamping the tube, with the intention of eating the worm.