Feather Duster is broken... help

[momentumfoto]

I turned on my tank lights this morn and saw my feather dusters duster part on the sand and not attached. I think the clown may have done it? The sand was piled up around the tube but not covering it like the clown was pushing the sand around it which is a normal thing with my insaine clown.

Do feather dusters shead the dusters? Nothing is attached to the duster part... just the feather part is floating around.

blake

[dc]

I don't think it's a good thing, but they can blow their dusters off. Hopefully it will regenerate in the tube and come back.

[momentumfoto]

anyone else have this happen?

[mybirds7]

Found one out of it tube. Put it back in and hours later the coris wrasse was swimming with the worm in his mouth. L

[Trip 22]

My duster lost's its crown. Then the tube was empty. I replaced it a month later and the next day low and behold the other one came back with a new crown and tube.....have faith!

[LeslieH]

Sabellid polychaetes readily loss their crowns due to stress, poor feeding, and predation. I've seen posts concerning clowns or other damsels that have hosted in feather dusters when anemones weren't available; in that scenario sometimes the worms lose the crowns sometimes they keep them.

It's best not to handle them if they come out of the tube unless it's to move them to a safe spot (i.e., away from crabs and fish). Don't try to put them back into a tube - that's a lot of stress. A healthy worm can easily rebuild a new tube in just a day or so.

[momentumfoto]

I am a big "no touch and just let things be" kind of guy... thanks for the info!

[pennyguy23]

My feather dusters are taking over my tank right now. They are multiplying like Rabbits. I just posted on how to get rid of them. I bet I have over 300. ranging from 1/2 to 2" Some of my fish rip them off and they float around the tank for a bit and land someplace else and there it is to stay. So I wouldn't worry about it to much.

[Aliie]

Mine loose the tops every few months and start over. Never seems to bother them.


Pennyguy: How do you get them to reproduce?

[uscharalph]

I heard that feather dusters only have 3 crowns in their lifetime, then they die.

[rekn]

i had a huge one that would shed its crown every 2 months or so.

it didnt have any fish or crabs in with it.


after a few months he left his tube and ended up making a new one, in a few hours, right near where the water was crashing off the side of the glass.


i had mine for 2 years and then left for the navy in 99.not sure if its still alive

[LeslieH]

3 crowns & then die? :lol: No, that's the reefer's equivalent of an urban myth. :)

The species that rapidly increase in tanks tend to be the ones that can reproduce by splitting their bodies into two parts; each part regrows the missing sections.

[momentumfoto]

THE DUSTER LIVES!!!! yeah yeah yeah! It has sprouted a new duster. Thanks for the help everyone! It brought a tear to my eye.

blake

[Grunt]

Glad to hear.
Cheers

[BORNTOFLY]

Had the same thing happen to me. What does everyone do about feeding do any of you do target feeding with your feather dusters?

[momentumfoto]

I do target them... I use bio plankton with a big suringe and some clear tube on it to reach the sand. Anyone else?

[Grunt]

I've target fed as well. With good results I think. :-D

[Scoobydude825]

How long did it take to grow a new crown? Mine was acting strange last night and then when I woke up today his crown was in the sand. He is still in the tube though. I hope he comes back soon..he is one of my favorites.

[Lpabsolute]

Good to Hear. Mine lost it's crown about two weeks ago and still hasn't grown a new one. Post some Pics.....

[momentumfoto]

yep, Mine took a couple weeks to finally pop a small crown out... its only like 1/2in compaired to its usual 2in size. The shell is also connected to the tube for some reason... it looks like its just sitting on the sand but its really attached!


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[AquaKnight]

I just had the exact same experience, the crown popped off and blew around the sand. About 2-week'ish now, there's a new duster sprouting out of the tube. It's a nice green color, hopefully it stays green.

About your guys' target feeding, does yours 'grab' it (shoot into the tube)? Mine just lets the photyo pass over.

[momentumfoto]

yeah same... just passes by.