those annoying little feather dusters...

[drew_tt]

I have a rock smothered in little, non-calcareous fd's that are spreading like mad... they also seem to grow really fast too...
should I be worried that they mmight be the dominant filter-feeders and my corals are not getting enough?
I dont want to kill them, but theyre 'ticking me off now...
ideas?
Drew

 

[saltyrich]

Be glad you have them. They won't know a dent in your coral's food supply. I take that rock off your hands if you want to send it my way!!!!

 

[maroonclownfan]

I'll trade my duster-free piece of rock for that old tired ugly piece of duster-covered rock..yuck....but I would be willing to do that for you......lol
And if that works for you, I have a nice crisp $1 I will trade for that old wrinkled up faded $5......
Things could be worse...........MCF

 

[drew_tt]

my one rock is COVERED, and they grow on a daily basis and intertwine into my wsp, whcih in turn keeps them retracted until I separate them... they grow very fast, and are all over my c. taxifolia... you can barely see the green leaves
all in the sand near 'the rock' too... just a big ugly tangled mess.
also, I havent cleaned my powerhead intake or filter intakes in ages because there are so many in there...
ahhhh

 

[radge69]

Are you sure they are feather dusters and not aptasia?

 

[drew_tt]

yes
there is a big difference between those two

 

[goldrush]

What do you want to bet that it's aptasia?

 

[saltyrich]

I have never personally known feather dusters to be able to reproduce and grow that fast. I'd research it very closely. sounds like something else IMO.

 

[ladyhawk]

Well crud. One of our tanks has a rock covered in feather dusters, not out of control but there are a lot and more coming fast, I like them.
My other tank has aiptasia. Didn't know what it was before this post, went and did research and now I am not very happy. I have a lot of it and it hasn't been a problem, it fact I was proud it was doing so well. But, I see it can be a big problem and now I am concerned how to get it under control. Doesn't look easy.
Boy, hurdle after hurdle, just when you think your tank is doing well. uuuuggggg

 

[michaeltx]

I had a rock that was covered with them and the all migrated to the sandbed where in the last couple of months almost completly cover with their tubes buried in the sand. really kewl to watch them close up and reopen at different times..
Mike

 

[drew_tt]

*sigh...*
its NOT aptasia!!! they are small feather dusters, just like the ones you buy at the lfs... I have one that is almost 5" tall... they have all been growing like weeds all over the place.
Id bet anything and everything that I can get my hands on... anyone can tell the difference between an anemone and a feather duster
Drew

 

[fshhub]

nothing to worry about, feather dusters cannot be mistaken for aptaisia, IMO
and cluster dusters(little colony dusters) do grow rapidly and reproduce well, in decent water conditions, theya re a good thing, help with removing excess nutrients and are kinda cute as well. I would leave them, personally. They willnot be a problem for you and you will stillnotice your corals jsut as good even with them in there. Again, IMO.
To help with the descritpion, feather dusters have fuzzy or feathery tops that retract inside of a tube., where anemones have tentacles, which look more like part of the body and shrink, when they retract
aiptasia
clusters
or more dusters here