Where the heck did the Featherduster go?

[kellenr]

I just got my first Featherduster about 3 days ago. The thing was really cool, very unique spiral markings and flair pattern. Long story short; I saw him in the store, thought it'd make a diverse addition to my tank, bought him and brought him home. Acclimated for about 2hrs. Then planted him in the sand bed leaving about 3/4in. above the surface of the sand. I kept watching and watching and never saw it pop it's feathers up. My tank is in my living room so I'm constantly looking over at it. Now 2 full days go by and still haven't seen it come up. So today (the 3rd day) I finally said ok something forsure isn't right here. So I dug him up and gently squeezed the base area of the tube to see if it was alive. I felt absolutely nothing, the tube felt completely mushy and empty. So I said, "ok, this thing is either dead or gone so I'm pulling it out". Before tossing it I just had to slice it open and see what was inside (I knew it would be buggin' me if I didn't). Well what do you know. I cut the entire tube open, lengthwise, and there was NOTHING in there. What the heck happened?
Did the worm bail out of the tube and get eaten? Is he in my rockwork somewhere? Did he bail at the store before they bagged him up? Did he bail out into the bag when I was acclimated him and I overlooked it? I'm seriously waaay confused

I've been sitting infront of my tank for a while looking around to see where it could possibly be, no sign at all. Don't you think I'd at least see some dislodged feathers if he was eaten? Or feathers pokin' out somewhere if the worm was in the rock? This thing was big like 6inches. I'm baffled.

 

[michaeltx]

the crown can become food as it its let go.
sometimes they will leave the tube find a new spot and start building a new tube.
unfrtunately it could have been eaten by a fish since it didnt have any protection against them.
I never bury a tube in the sand though it can cause the tube to collapse on the worm and the CUC could have gotten to it.
there are so many things that Could have happened.
keep an eye out for it though it might surprise you and show back up again.
mike

 

[kaliman33]

I just layed my tubes on the sand, they actually moved around and now seemed to have found a place they like cause they are huge, my yellow tang sometimes eats some alege off the tubes, when i first got them my coral beauty would nip at them and they would hide, but now he does'nt bother them, i first put them in crevases of my live rock, but they did'nt seem to like that