feather duster help please

[debbie]

Hi all, I was just wanting to know what I have done to my feather duster. A week ago I thought i was doing it a great deed, I put it in the bottom of the tank and carefully put my crushed coral over the top of the base to hold it in place.
I don't think it really liked this, it was still opening up but should I have done this?
Today, when I came home the duster was open but it is lying low on the crushed coral. The tube is not grey all the way up but a purple color like something has been eating the grey color off.
I don't want to loose this feather duster and would like any help in regards to this.
Debbie

 

[reefer44]

with out a pic i can't really tell........but if it hasn't cast off its crown yet i would think its fine....
Brad

 

[bwmichael21]

what type of flow is it in ? would any inhabitant bother it or stress it ? I think that they are pretty hardy...i know i've had mine for quite some time

 

[cayman isl]

They are very hardy! I tried to move mine once and it was stuck in a hole in a rock. I pulled too hard and the entire sheath ripped right off in my hand! Then the duster spit the feathers all over the tank and all that was left was a nub at the opening of the hole! I moved the rock and thought I'd killed it. The next day it started growing tiny new feathers and is now back at full "bloom"!

 

[bwmichael21]

Yeah i believe that the only real concern with a feather duster is when it will leave its tube on its own due to stress.

 

[debbie]

Hi, it is fully open. Maybe the water current is to strong where I have it. In the picture below this is what it looks like. I have moved it from this spot as one night I noticed that something was draggin the duster behind a rock. It was my dam crab I have been trying to get and kill. I have been told that this critter is a bad one (brown colors wolf crab) good luck I even took the rock he hides in out and shook it but there is no getting this devil out. That is when I notices the skin on the tube seemed to be coming off
The only other thing in the tank is tons and tons of little mysis shrimp and my camelback shrimp. He was playing with the feathers once but has not bothered them since. The duster opens and closes and has never shed the head so I guess it is okay if I just move it from the strong current. Now my xenia a totally different story, it has just about shrunk away to nothing. Oh well them is the breaks, mushrooms are doing awesome in my little nano tank of 10 gal.
Debbie

 

[bmausti]

Is it bad if my feather worm got rid of his feathers? I came home and I can see the worm in it's tube but the feathers are not attached anymore.

 

[socaldave]

My featherworm built a new crown soon after I put him in, but still has his old one, it actually looks pretty cool, but I dont think thats whats supposed to happen.

 

[debbie]

Gosh I hope someone can help you. This is my first feather duster. I have read though that they can throw their crown, this is what yours did by the sounds of it. They say it will grow another one soon. I hope I am right in what I said.
Anyone out there whom can help?
Debbie