Feather Dusters

[ramone]

I have 1 feather duster in my tank. When I bought it about 5 weeks ago the tube was about 4 inches long, now it looks to be only 2 inches long. I have heard of them losing their feathers, but what about their tubes? I saw a little piece of the tube floating along the sand bed. Could something be eating it? Is it normal for them to grow new tubes? Please help! <img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" />

 

[ak_reefer]

What kind of fish or other inverts do you have in the tank? A fish or other invert could be eating at the feather duster.

 

[ramone]

I have a yellow tang, two clown fish and two yellow tail damsels and a green chromis. I also have a CC starfish,pencil urchin,cleaner shrimp,blue and red legged crabs and turbo snails. I suspect that it is the tang nipping at it. <img src="graemlins//yell.gif" border="0" alt="[yell]" />

 

[tyrfing]

I wouldn't worry too much. I have two feather dusters in a tank with only hermits and snails right now (deciding on the fauna at the moment), and both have shed tubes. The larger of the two just shed the top 1/4, stayed low until it grew a new collar and is now at full mast. The smaller developed a slit in the tube about 3/4 of the way down. It just poked out until it grew more and it's fine. My guess (because they are still alive and healthy) is that feather dusters grow, just like everything else. I wouldn't worry about it.