de-feathered feather duster

[shannonredburn]

I've had this feather duster for about 4 months now. Two days ago I introduced 5 new hermits (my shrimp ate 2 so it is three now). They discovered the feather duster and atleast one has been munching on the casing every time I check on them. Today it lost its crown. The crown is wedged in a rock and when I attempted to remove it appears to be stuck solid. It also appears to be waving like it did when attatched to the rest of itself, though that could just be a trick of the water flow.

Is this part still living?
Could it be stuck on something? I had assumed that the feathers would be separate pieces that would fall off and I could just pick them out?
Or is it more likely that something in the rock was munching on the feathers? Should I just leave them in there?

Sorry no pics right now, but I can try to get some tomorrow.

Thanks


Edit: So this morning I wake up and the little feathers are laying all over the tank like I expected them to be. No idea what had a hold of them yesterday. But today I am so taking those crabs back and getting some more feather-duster friendly snails!!!

 

[roka64]

What kind of crabs?
How did you acclimate?
Water parameters?

 

[Hara]

I dont think acclimation would be the culprit after 4 months. I do think that the crabs may very well be the cause and you are doing what needs to be done. I would leave the worms alone, they may regrow their crowns, they may not. Leaving them won't hurt anything though.

 

[roka64]

I dont think acclimation would be the culprit after 4 months.

DOH, sorry, I missed that.

 

[shannonredburn]

I am not sure of what kind they are other then hermits. I had thought they were little red legged ones, But when I saw them walking around in my tank their legs seem to be a bit longer then the average, and they are all brown with darker brown stripes. My peppermint shrimp likes the taste of them though, I bought them Thursday and it's already pulled 2 out (though one was trying on a bigger shell so I am sure it was easy pickings.
Acclimation was the drip for about 2 hours.
Haven't tested today yet.....
But I am definitely sure it's the crabs cause I caught them doing it, Pulled them off 5 times over the weekend. The feather dusters casing has been picked at so bad that I can see completely through it in places.

Grr!! Evil Crabs!!!!!

 

[melosu58]

You might want to remove them as they will be nothing but problems. If your feather duster survives he will regrow his crown.

 

[shannonredburn]

They are definately going back to the lfs!

 

[usmcmarc]

I had one of my dusters loose his crown. I have not seen any trace of him anywhere....But there was no ammonia spike, so I don't think he's dead. Just hiding away till the crown grows back?

 

[shannonredburn]

I tried to get some tank shots but my camera jsut stinks at the closeups.