Feather dusters

meadbhb

meadbhb

Member
Hiya,
I'm finding lots of feather dusters in my tank. From itty bitty, to what I'd call a good sized small one. This one is hanging on under my LR. Should I worry that he won't get enough food...that is when the tank has been up long enough. Hasn't been running for a week yet, but I'm getting algea growth on my base rock.
There's also another duster that looks like he has a double head. He's ontop and looks like he's going to be blue. Are there different kinds of duster worms? He's got a pretty big tube, but his crown is small.
Meadbhb
 
spline9

spline9

Member
There shouldnt be a need to add anything to the water. They are filter feeders and pull their food from stuff already floating in the water.
The double head lookin dusters are normal, too. I have some that look like that. Its almost like 2-for-the-price-of-1. I'm sure they may be different kinds of worms, but I think they are simply just called "feather dusters". Yours may be "cluster dusters" and may not get as big as the ones sold in the stores for $12-$15.
 
chris17

chris17

Member
If they came in on your lr then I wouldnt add anything to the water to feed them. I have alot of little dusters in my tank also that I did not buy. But they get enough food cause I add phytoplankton to feed the corals an to feed some of the other critters in the sand bed.
 
ka0z4allu

ka0z4allu

Member
I would have to disagree with magic carp as feather dusters are not photogenic. They don't use light and convert it to food like most corals, They are filter feeders. Contrary to most sayings, it is very hard to keep them alive in captivity for long, as crystal clear water is hardly in comparison to their natural habitat of mucky life filled waters. In order to give them enough nutrition, you would have to dose phyto till the water had a green tint. So IMO phyto needs to be added in order to sustain them. But for one to thrive it would need a different setup than a reef tank with clean water. JMO!:)
 
russianspy

russianspy

Member

Originally posted by ka0z4allu
I would have to disagree with magic carp as feather dusters are not photogenic. They don't use light and convert it to food like most corals, They are filter feeders. Contrary to most sayings, it is very hard to keep them alive in captivity for long, as crystal clear water is hardly in comparison to their natural habitat of mucky life filled waters. In order to give them enough nutrition, you would have to dose phyto till the water had a green tint. So IMO phyto needs to be added in order to sustain them. But for one to thrive it would need a different setup than a reef tank with clean water. JMO!:)
I have to disagree, I'v had mine for about 1 yr 1/2 now...And is doing quite fine, I'v heard of otherpeople haveing them for the life of there tank.....JMO
 
viper_930

viper_930

Active Member
Feather dusters can live quite well just by feeding off the phyto plankton the tank naturally makes (not dosing).
 
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