Tube Worm detached head?

[sooz]

A strange thing has happened to one of my feather dusters - the head appears to have detatched. I have not removed it from the tank because I thought maybe it is still alive but I do not see any "worm" part at all - it appears to be only the feather part. It is not attached to anything right now - just bobbing around the bottom of the tank. The tube is still in the same place on the same rock, and is kind of pinched shut on the top so I cannot see if anything is alive in there.
Do feather dusters ever molt or shed their feathers? Would anything else I have attack a feather duster? (I have 1 yellow tang, 1 coral beauty, 2 PJ cardinals, 3 Blue-green Chromis, 1 Springer's Dottyback, 1 Scooter Blenny, some blue-legged hermits, a purple lobster, a cc star, and snails. Oh and feather dusters - 5 of them, maybe only 4 now...

) Everyone gets along and no one is brand new to the tank...

 

[jonthefishguy]

Its fine, they pop their crowns from time to time, sometimes it happens when they are being harrassed by hermits. They grow back and sometimes in a different color

 

[saltn00b]

the crown can easily come off of a feather duster. the worm is fine and within a few days you will see a new crown growing out of the tube. sometimes they do it for no reason, and sometimes they do it when stressed.

 

[grabbitt]

Not to thread jack, but out of curiosity, about how often would you say a featherduster parts with its crown? I was thinking about this the other day and I've had one for about 10 months and another for four, and neither has ever shed their feathers...

 

[michaeltx]

if thier crown is damaged or if the worm is stressed they are more apt to drop the crown. I would check water parameters and watch for anybody picking on them.
Mike

 

[rdannon331]

Mine has never shed his crown either but I guess it would be pretty cool, especially if it came back a new color.
What type of worm usually grows back a new colored crown?

 

[saltn00b]

i have only seen the same color crowns grow back IME

 

[michaeltx]

yeah they only grow back the same color that has been shed. the different colors are different species and areas of collection.
Mike

 

[sk8shorty01]

I believe they can grow back different shades of the same colors. My brother has a large hawaiian that shed its crown (it was dark brown at the tips and white near the base of the tube) and when it grew a new one it was a very light tan at the base, and white at the ends and it is a little bit larger as well. It has great coloration now.

 

[zeke92]

yes, i've been researching tubeworms, how they breed, how you cana possibly 'frag' there colonies, and so forth, for about 2 or more months now. i've got a colony and have learend they sometmes loose there crown AND part of there tube, the cut off piece flaots around, finds a spot, sticks to it, and nwo there is two worms.
mine have never lost crowns. of course there is no dangers in my tank for them.
don't worry. even if they loose there crown AND there tube, it's natural.
what type of tubeworm? if you got a colony and don't want a few i may be intersted.

i wanna startstudying the larger species

 

[sooz]

Thanks so much for all of your replies - I feel better!
When I get home I will check my water parameters!
I was also told they might be stressed because I am not feeding them right. Any suggestions for the best thing for them? I have been feeding them Phyto-plex, which I realize is a dead organism, because the last 3 times I have been to the store they have had no DTS in stock.
I am not sure what kind they are - I am attaching some old pics of my 3 bigger ones. The smaller two I don't have pics of - they are not as pretty - they look kind of furry whereas the big 3 are more feathery.
The purple one (pictured at left) is has since moved to a new location near the center of the tank.
The two on the right I bought together and they have always been attached to each other - the one on far right (white & purple) is the one who lost his head.