Feather duster coming out of tube

Missoula Sherry · 05/11/2013, 01:15 PM

I now know I shouldn't have bought a feather duster in the first place but I did buy it. The worm and duster are sticking way out of the tube. Is it croaking or about to lose the duster? I target fed my duster DT's phytoplankton 3x this last week and have some zooplankton coming.

I have a 75 gal tank, SG 1.0225 (This is a bit low as I aim for 1.024), 77.4 to 79°F, no amm, nitrite, nitrate, phosphates get up to .25 ppm before my weekly water change, pH8.1, Ca 320 ppm, and alkalinity 9 dKH.

James77 · 05/11/2013, 08:21 PM

I'm not familiar with feather dusters.....but I would get that salinity up to 1.026 and the calcium up to about 425 and see if that helps. What other animals in tank?

Missoula Sherry · 05/11/2013, 10:12 PM

I've been topping off with salt water instead of DI today to bring up the salinity. I'm scheduled to do my weekly water change on Monday but I might move it up a day. I've been bringing up the calcium and alkalinity with Kent CB.

I have a Firefish, orange spot goby, a six line wrasse, an emerald crab, snails, hermits, mushroom polyps, and what I think is a Hollywood Stunner Chalice coral (Ecinophillia ssp).

I guess the only thing to do is watch and wait.

NeilFox · 05/11/2013, 10:13 PM

I don't know much about them either. Is there a reason for not getting them? I have some small ones just growing but I had thought about getting a couple. My LFS has a few beautiful ones. They are imbedded in a large Zoa colony though so you have to get the entire colony. I suppose it may be a mistake to buy it?

tatuaje08 · 05/11/2013, 10:16 PM

IME they are very sensitive creatures. Mine lost its crown, grew it back and now it lost it again. Up your ca to 450 and make sure your mag is around 1350.

AFord · 05/11/2013, 10:29 PM

The main reason people avoid them is because they usually starve to death as they grow larger. It's hard to feed them often enough without over feeding the tank.

They will leave their tubes for a number of reasons, most often irritation from other tank mates or they are looking for a better location. Don't try and insert them back in the tube, they will make a new one if they abandon their old one.

Here's an article by Julian Sprung:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/8/inverts

Missoula Sherry · 05/13/2013, 11:24 AM

Update: The part of the feather duster outside the tube rotted and floated away. There's no worm left in the tube soooo no more feather dusters for me. Lesson learned.

05/11/2013, 08:21 PM	#2
James77 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 8,158	I'm not familiar with feather dusters.....but I would get that salinity up to 1.026 and the calcium up to about 425 and see if that helps. What other animals in tank? __________________ Jim Current Tank Info: 120g Mixed Reef and 75g Freshwater

05/11/2013, 10:29 PM	#6
AFord Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Hilton Head Island, SC Posts: 94	The main reason people avoid them is because they usually starve to death as they grow larger. It's hard to feed them often enough without over feeding the tank. They will leave their tubes for a number of reasons, most often irritation from other tank mates or they are looking for a better location. Don't try and insert them back in the tube, they will make a new one if they abandon their old one. Here's an article by Julian Sprung: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/8/inverts Last edited by AFord; 05/11/2013 at 10:37 PM.

05/11/2013, 10:12 PM	#3
Missoula Sherry Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 21	I've been topping off with salt water instead of DI today to bring up the salinity. I'm scheduled to do my weekly water change on Monday but I might move it up a day. I've been bringing up the calcium and alkalinity with Kent CB. I have a Firefish, orange spot goby, a six line wrasse, an emerald crab, snails, hermits, mushroom polyps, and what I think is a Hollywood Stunner Chalice coral (Ecinophillia ssp). I guess the only thing to do is watch and wait.

05/11/2013, 10:13 PM	#4
NeilFox Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: DuPont, WA Posts: 947	I don't know much about them either. Is there a reason for not getting them? I have some small ones just growing but I had thought about getting a couple. My LFS has a few beautiful ones. They are imbedded in a large Zoa colony though so you have to get the entire colony. I suppose it may be a mistake to buy it?

05/11/2013, 10:16 PM	#5
tatuaje08 Registered Member. Join Date: May 2013 Location: tempe, az Posts: 867	IME they are very sensitive creatures. Mine lost its crown, grew it back and now it lost it again. Up your ca to 450 and make sure your mag is around 1350.

05/13/2013, 11:24 AM	#7
Missoula Sherry Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 21	Update: The part of the feather duster outside the tube rotted and floated away. There's no worm left in the tube soooo no more feather dusters for me. Lesson learned.