Help!! Feather Duster Biting the Dust!

[kelldog4]

Hey, My feather duster lost all of his feathers. He is still alive because he pokes his head out every once in a while.
Is he going to live? Can I help him in any way?
THX,
KDS

 

[wrassecal]

They do that sometimes from stress. It will probably grow it back.

 

[kelldog4]

Ok, thanks wrass. Kind of worried about him though.

 

[bobbravo2]

This means that it has not been getting enough food, it will shed its feathers to conserve energy, then grow a new smaller setup. This will result in reduced efficiency, so you probably want to start feeding him more directly (ie with turkey baster / syringe)

 

[kelldog4]

Ahh, ok - I've only had him for a week. What would you suggest feeding with the baster?

 

[bobbravo2]

some type of phytoplankton like kent marine snow, or ESV spray dried phytyo. Something of that nature that he can filter feed.

 

[antkri]

Keep an eye on him. The Phytoplankton is the best thing you can do I takes a 1 month to start seeing the feathers again and about 3 months to get a full crown. However if you do not get it some food they usually die about 2 weeks after losing the crown(at least in me experience that is what has happened)
Good Luck! They are beautiful, but very picky

 

[wrassecal]

If they are in an area of the tank where the environment is stressful to them they may leave their tube and crawl to another area. For instance, I had one that was in the path of a micro-bubble problem from my skimmer. It dropped it's crown. The next day the tube was empty and the worm was in a shallow cave where it was building a new tube. Unfortunately, after a week or so I found the worm dead. They are fairly easy prey if this happens. It is sometimes a food issue and sometimes an environment issue. HTH

 

[rbmount]

I spot fed mine with brine shrimp in addition to phytoplankton. Iput some in the end of it's tube with a pair of tweezers and it would pop out and get it. You'll see some new feathers in about 10 days then they'll keep growing.

 

[kelldog4]

Thanks guys, going to get some phyto tonite. I sure hope the little bugger lives.
KDS

 

[birdy]

Probably just the stress of moving to a new tank if you have only had it a week. Be sure it is not in a high flow area either, they like a slower current.

 

[toddpolish]

My feather duster just lost all of its feathers(happened 3 days ago), but I DO feed DTs Phyto every other day (1 cap full...I only have 2 corals).
weird...

 

[vibe]

the feather duster in my dads tank did taht a while back. usually its the environment. sometimes they might shed because they are to big for their environment. some people say taht when a feather duster leaves its home to die. but i dont think this is always the case as to what wrass said. dont worry he should be fine if he is still eating.

 

[luptinpitman]

Mine lost it's crown and then came back in about a month. I feed phyto, but not direct. No feeding direct. My LFS said that the feather dusters go through this cycle all the time. Just what I have heard and seen in my tank.