Feather duster question...

[RiffRaff]

I have just recently noticed my feather dusters feathers have all just fallen off and are rolling around the tank. Is this how they die? I'm a total newbie here. Two month old tank and have just got my water checked and found i have high nitrates. Is this a sign of impending doom on my tank? Or a sign of stress? Is it dead or can they grow back? I have also just recently rearranged the tank and moved where he was at. Should I put it back where it was? take it out? help out a newb please!!

[Jocephus]

If it's just the "feathers" it can grow back. If the worm comes out from the tube, not so much. Don't move the rocks back, I don't think he liked that. Dropping the feathers is a sign of stress.

[Aquarist007]

I had to actually anchor mine down due to the flow in the tank.
As long as you put another rock on the bottom third of the worm they will be fine

[Salamander]

^ capn....read the post. It dropped its crown, its not just the whole thing rolling around.

Anyway.

I think in a 2 month old tank the reason he was stressed and dropped his crown had to do with water quality. Might want to make sure you have a little more stable environment. IME there's not a great chance they'll survive in the long run if they drop their crown. But sometimes they live, I hope yours does.

[demonsp]

You say they did? You mean alot about the same time?

[Avi]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12093583#post12093583 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Salamander
IME there's not a great chance they'll survive in the long run if they drop their crown. But sometimes they live, I hope yours does.

I'd say that this might be true but if you give it good water conditions and you regularly feed the tank the right foods for filter feeders, the head will more likely than not grow it's "crown" back and the animal will flourish.

[BLKTANG]

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n159/ttpimp/18.gif

[jallen100]

Here is a good link for feather dusters.

http://www.centralpets.com/animals/fish/saltwater_inverts/swi1771.html

[DylanE]

I had a tank crash a year or so ago, and my feather duster lost its crown, the ditched the tube and crawled under a rock... Still alive.

[demonsp]

They will remove there crown and grow it back but if you have alot doing this then they may be stressed and trying anything they can to survive. THey will also move looking for better area.