feather duster

[ryanbooton]

I have 3 feather dusters in my 125 g tank. One is off by itself and the others are within inches of each other. Anyway...one of my dusters close to the other one looks like he is trying to come out of his tube. Does he not want to be there, should I move it, or what. Could anyone tell me what or if anything is wrong.

 

[wrassecal]

Sometimes they do come out and move. Does it still have it's crown? Where is it coming out? I had one that came out and moved into a cave and started rebuilding it's tube, til something took advantage and ate it. A couple months ago I kept seeing my other one hanging out of the back end of the tube but it still had it's crown. Turned out it was adding to it's tube and now its back in all the way and happy. I think they are interesting worms. IMO I wouldn't move it. Just wait a little while and see what is really going on with it.

 

[ryanbooton]

Thanks Debi....it still has the crown(if that is the feathers) It's coming up out of the top. I just went and watched it a minute ago and it goes in and out. I heard once that they will leave their tube but its only because it doesn't likie something about their environment??Dusters are pretty neat, I guess I never actually realized it was actually alive or had something in the tube other than the tube...lol. So it isn't a bad sign then? Thanks again

 

[reef dude]

should feather dusters be burried in the sand and just leave the crwon part out a little bit or should the entire tube be out of the sand..i burry the tube cuz its so long and ugly

 

[wrassecal]

There's no way for me to know for sure that it isn't a bad sign, but since it hasn't lost it's crown (yes that's the feathers) I'd leave it alone and just keep an eye on it. IMO if it was really stressed it would lose it's crown and/or crawl out looking for a better location. Is the area it's coming out of laying against a rock. Mine was coming out at an area where it was against rock and stuff off the rock would stick to it and then it would use it to build more tube. Or maybe yours is just peeking to look around and see what's going on

 

[ryanbooton]

Well as soon as I turned my tank lights off last night the worm came completely out of its tube and went and curled up next to a rock. A little while later it was moved over a little but pretty much in the same spot. It is still alive...well as of an hour or so ago...and I moved its old tube closer to it because the feathers kinda started curling up at the ends. Why would it be doing that? Is my FD going to be ok

 

[wrassecal]

sorry to hear it's left the tube. It may be ok, but pedators may get it.

 

[ryanbooton]

Well just to let anyone interested know....the feather duster is gone, my horseshoe got ahold of it the 3rd day out of the tube I moved the one next to it out of the current with the other one. Went to the lfs and got another duster attached to a piece of live rock Does anyone think that will produce much or not since it has probably already been in a tank for awhile??