Unopening feather duster

[entice59]

i just bought 2 feather dusters yesterday, one opened up but the other almosted came out but just went back in......... =(
any ideas on why or what i can do to help it open up?

 

[ntvflgirl]

I don't know much about feather dusters, but when a small one I have on some lr sees me coming, it quickly retracts into it's hole. It also does this when I open up the cabinet underneath the tank. It probably just needs to get comfortable in it's surroundings. Give it time.

 

[entice59]

the thing is... it never opened, only once i saw something inside of it, it isnt dead or sick right? what does a dead/sick one look like*just wondering* since i never actually seen one

 

[pyro383]

Here is the low down on feathers:
They don't really see, they feel for any vibration or extreme current and retract as a mechanism of safety, also when their feathers feel full, they pull them in and feed off of the particles caught. At times they pop their cap and stay in the tube for a week or so and rebuild their feathers. When this happens the top of the tube collapses adn it takes a few tries for it to pop open when they are ready to emerge. Now to tell if they are dead , put it into your hand and you should feel the worm wiggle (kinda weird), no movement means it may have died. For the feather to not open, make sure they are in a indirect current and the feathers gently sway.

 

[entice59]

thanks for the info, but i saw a little movement inside but i could barely see anything, does that mean its going to come out some day?

 

[reefkeypr]

You may want to keep an eye on your flame angel. They are known to nip at dusters which may be why it is not coming out. I have not personally witnessed this and I have kept dwarf angels with dusters but it is known to happen. I also had a small duster munched by a fairy wrasse (plankton eater) after not feeding for one day. Also the duster may not like the water movement where he is at. Try moving it around the tank. My dusters have buried their tubes in the sand and are open almost all the time.
Hope this helps.