HELP! Feather duster problem - Aquarium Advice

MarkW19 · 02-26-2008, 09:00 AM

My feather duster's crown has just fallen out of its tube!!

It's been fine for 4-5 months, water quality fine, haven't seen anything bothering it!

What should I do with the crown? It seems to be still sort of moving!

Sadielynn · 02-26-2008, 10:07 AM

Go ahead and remove the crown keep an eye on him and make sure your perameters stay in check and that nothing is picking on him . He should regrow a new crown in a few weeks ...

MarkW19 · 02-26-2008, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sadielynn

Go ahead and remove the crown keep an eye on him and make sure your perameters stay in check and that nothing is picking on him . He should regrow a new crown in a few weeks ...

I've never seen the actual "worm", just the crown obviously, what am I keeping an eye on exactly?! The tube seems to be fine still. Am I making sure crabs etc. aren't biting at the tube?

Is the crown fully dead? It does seem to sort of curl up a bit every now and again?

Sadielynn · 02-26-2008, 10:16 AM

The crown is dead . What you are seeing is the currents moving it . You will want to watch to see that he is not being picked on by fish or crabs . Some times they just molt thier crown to regrow it as it becomes old and tattered or something may have irritated it ... It is normal for them to decrown but it will grow back when we had ours he molted his crown every 6months or so .There are many reasons to why they would decrown but it will grow back if he has clean water and nothing stressing him

Watch to see that you dont see him out ( they are ugly and look like a milipede under water and are usually dark brown ) Once they leave the tube it is less than 2% chance they will rebuild a tube and survive ... Look at the end of the tube does it look closed ? That is one of their defences it keeps prey out such as crab or shrimp claws .... It may not always look closed if he is eating but in a few weeks he should reemerge with a new (but smaller) crown ...

MarkW19 · 02-26-2008, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sadielynn

The crown is dead . What you are seeing is the currents moving it . You will want to watch to see that he is not being picked on by fish or crabs . Some times they just molt thier crown to regrow it as it becomes old and tattered or something may have irritated it ... It is normal for them to decrown but it will grow back when we had ours he molted his crown every 6months or so .There are many reasons to why they would decrown but it will grow back if he has clean water and nothing stressing him

Watch to see that you dont see him out ( they are ugly and look like a milipede under water and are usually dark brown ) Once they leave the tube it is less than 2% chance they will rebuild a tube and survive ... Look at the end of the tube does it look closed ? That is one of their defences it keeps prey out such as crab or shrimp claws .... It may not always look closed if he is eating but in a few weeks he should reemerge with a new (but smaller) crown ...

Yes, the end of the tube is sort of closed (although not fully), but he often did that before when he had a crown anyway...

Maybe he's not getting enough food? I used to feed phyto once a week but stopped as I'm currently in the middle of a terrible algae bloom! But I managed to get my nitrates down now (to 0 according to my test, for some reason!), and reduced my feeding/lighting, so maybe the algae will die off now.

I hope he's getting enough food?

Sadielynn · 02-26-2008, 10:23 AM

He should be getting enough IME ... I never fed mine just what they pulled out of the column ... They seem to have a bit of a short life anyways the longest I had one was 3 years ....They do need a more mature system but I am sure he is getting all he needs ... Just keep an eye on him and shortly he will reemerge with a new crown

MarkW19 · 02-26-2008, 10:31 AM

Cool, I hope so

Shall I just leave the old crown in there for the clean up crew?

Thanks for the help!

Sadielynn · 02-26-2008, 11:31 AM

Nope remove it it will add to your bioload there is nothing in it that really that the tank will use ....

MarkW19 · 02-26-2008, 05:35 PM

Thanks Sadie, just removed the crown. Fingers crossed a new one will grow back soon!

MarkW19 · 03-03-2008, 06:58 PM

Well I just saw the actual worm pop his head out a few times, then quickly dash back into his tube. Is this normal? No new crown yet.

02-26-2008, 09:00 AM	#1
MarkW19 Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: UK Posts: 1,671	HELP! Feather duster problem My feather duster's crown has just fallen out of its tube!! It's been fine for 4-5 months, water quality fine, haven't seen anything bothering it! What should I do with the crown? It seems to be still sort of moving! Last edited by MarkW19; 02-26-2008 at 10:07 AM.

02-26-2008, 10:07 AM	#2
Sadielynn Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 1,244	Go ahead and remove the crown keep an eye on him and make sure your perameters stay in check and that nothing is picking on him . He should regrow a new crown in a few weeks ... __________________ Sadielynn Nanoreefing site 2 nanos 10 gallons

02-26-2008, 10:16 AM	#4
Sadielynn Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 1,244	The crown is dead . What you are seeing is the currents moving it . You will want to watch to see that he is not being picked on by fish or crabs . Some times they just molt thier crown to regrow it as it becomes old and tattered or something may have irritated it ... It is normal for them to decrown but it will grow back when we had ours he molted his crown every 6months or so .There are many reasons to why they would decrown but it will grow back if he has clean water and nothing stressing him Watch to see that you dont see him out ( they are ugly and look like a milipede under water and are usually dark brown ) Once they leave the tube it is less than 2% chance they will rebuild a tube and survive ... Look at the end of the tube does it look closed ? That is one of their defences it keeps prey out such as crab or shrimp claws .... It may not always look closed if he is eating but in a few weeks he should reemerge with a new (but smaller) crown ... __________________ Sadielynn Nanoreefing site 2 nanos 10 gallons

02-26-2008, 10:23 AM	#6
Sadielynn Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 1,244	He should be getting enough IME ... I never fed mine just what they pulled out of the column ... They seem to have a bit of a short life anyways the longest I had one was 3 years ....They do need a more mature system but I am sure he is getting all he needs ... Just keep an eye on him and shortly he will reemerge with a new crown __________________ Sadielynn Nanoreefing site 2 nanos 10 gallons

02-26-2008, 11:31 AM	#8
Sadielynn Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 1,244	Nope remove it it will add to your bioload there is nothing in it that really that the tank will use .... __________________ Sadielynn Nanoreefing site 2 nanos 10 gallons

02-26-2008, 10:31 AM	#7
MarkW19 Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: UK Posts: 1,671	Cool, I hope so Shall I just leave the old crown in there for the clean up crew? Thanks for the help!

02-26-2008, 05:35 PM	#9
MarkW19 Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: UK Posts: 1,671	Thanks Sadie, just removed the crown. Fingers crossed a new one will grow back soon!

03-03-2008, 06:58 PM	#10
MarkW19 Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: UK Posts: 1,671	Well I just saw the actual worm pop his head out a few times, then quickly dash back into his tube. Is this normal? No new crown yet.

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