Dissappearing feather dusters

[carrie1429]

I had four feather dusters in my tank, but now I can't find them, three of the four tubes are empty and the dusters are know where to be found. I thought they just didn't like where they were and moved, but I can't find them. Has this happened the anbody else. (there are no fish in the tank either)

 

[dsa_mom]

you may be looking at a kind of tube worm. They retract that fan when jostled or threatened, the fan comes out again. check this site to compare pics:
<a href="http://livingreefimages.com/Page60.html" target="_blank">http://livingreefimages.com/Page60.html</a>

 

[carrie1429]

There are no worms in the tubes though. The hermit crabs have eaten away the tubes and I can clearly see that there is no worm. I just thought it was wierd that I couldn't find the worms.

 

[dsa_mom]

now I'm just guessing--could they have outgrown those tubes and relocated somewhere else in the tank?

 

[carrie1429]

thats what I thought too but I could not find the worm anywhere in my tank.

 

[frogger]

I HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO ME. ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER, OUT CAME THE CROWN OF THE DUSTER FROM UNDERNEATH A PIECE OF LR. IT ATTACHED ITSELF TO THE ROCK WHILE MAKING ITS NEW TUBE SO NOW THAT IS ITS PERMANENT HOME. JUST BE CAREFULL IF YOUR VACCUMING THAT YOU DON'T CRUSH THE LITTLE GUYS. GOOD LUCK

 

[carrie1429]

Thanks for the input