Another Feather Duster Question

[gregk]

Hello.
How long does it normally take for a feather duster to show it's "feathers?" The first one I bought never came out. After two weeks I checked it out and the tube was completely empty of any life.
I purchased my second one about a week ago and it has yet to come out. Everything I read says these things are easy to care for. I don't know what's up. The rest of my tank inhabitants are doing great (soft corals, fish, invertebrates).
All advise is greatly appreciated .

 

[jerth6932]

Originally Posted by GregK
Hello.
How long does it normally take for a feather duster to show it's "feathers?" The first one I bought never came out. After two weeks I checked it out and the tube was completely empty of any life.
I purchased my second one about a week ago and it has yet to come out. Everything I read says these things are easy to care for. I don't know what's up. The rest of my tank inhabitants are doing great (soft corals, fish, invertebrates).
All advise is greatly appreciated .
Is this one empty also? If not it took mine 1 month to open up, cause he got stressed and lost all of his feathers upon shipment! I had lost hope on him, and was going to throw him away that night and I saw a feather stick out..... I was glad I kept him!!
Also there are things that eat feather dusters.... could you possibley have somthing that might be doing that?

 

[gregk]

Thanks for your reply!
I have not checked this one because I don't want to scare it any worse than it might already be. I have it secured (not too tight) between two rocks.
I noticed my yellow eye tang nipping at the tube when I first got it. Also my corral beauty was messing with it. After the first day, I have not seen any fish bother it.
Since yours took 1 month, I am going to hang tight and hope this one comes out.

 

[promisetbg]

Are you getting them from the same person? If they are'nt experienced on how to get them out they may be slipping their tube when they go to bag it. If you saw it open at the store, it should open up when settled into the tank.

 

[gregk]

Thanks for your response.
I had that very thought (slipping the tube) so I asked the guy to make sure it was in there. He assured me it was, but I guess that doesn't mean much.
How long on average before it settles?

 

[promisetbg]

Is this a hawaiian or what kind? I find the small yellow or pink and the ones from the Phillipines to be a little more shy. The Hawaiians generally open right up. The coral beauty could be harrassing it, so it may not open. Sometimes they slip their tube only to pop up somewhere else. They have the ability to make a new tube using sand and mucous. Peppermint shrimp will sometimes kill them. Are you acclimating them properly to your tank?

 

[mrdc]

Two of mine are out all the time. One of my others will go days w/o coming out and just when I think it's dead, there it is. It's very skiddish. If you get to close to the glass, it will retract. Flashlight makes it retract also. I have moved it to just about every possible place in the tank and it still acts the same. So I just leave it alone now.

 

[hot883]

After a day if it does not come out, try squirting some cyclo-peeze or reef chili into the tube. It is not uncommon for fish to nip some at the tube opening. HTH

 

[nanahugs]

I have two featherdusters. The large purple and white one that I bought from this site is out all the time. The samller pink and white dwarf Hawaiian one that I bought from my LFS comes out every day, but it doesn't stay out all the time like my larger one. I know the worm is in there because I saw his lime green body moving around when I moved him.

 

[chadman]

i have three feather dusters and they all popped out within a half hour of having them in my tank...they are very easy to care for too....i agree with what was said earlier the feather dusters plant themselves to the lr or whatever they are on...if u try to move them carelessly and just pull the outer tube will come off which is just there protective case which the make from secretions...so i'd say call your lfs or wherever u got them from and tell them that they have been sending u empty feather duster shells....haha