Now you see them, now you don't...

grahxen · 11/24/2006, 10:23 PM

Well I have had my share of missing livestock in my tank for awhile after moving back in march. Ive had small fish I've seen the night before turn up missing 8 hours later, Missing shrimp etc. But the latest were 2 fairly large feather dusters, tubes were roughly 3/8 inch diamater and about 5 inches long.They were in the tank for roughly 2 weeks or so when I noticed one of them wasnt coming out. Thought nothing of it then gave it another day still nothing, so i took it out of the water, and low and behold worm gone, nothing left. Tube is still in fine condition, no signs of anything trying to tear through it. So last night I went to check on my tank, made sure I saw most of my inverts that i usually see and the one remaining feather duster was out and happy as usual. This morning woke up, fed the tank after lights were on and noticed again that the duster wasn't opening which was unusual because its always out... SO i waited until tonight when i was cleaning my socks out to check it, pulled it out and again entire tube empty no worm at all. Now i am baffled... If you have read some of my other posts, you may have noticed i have some nasty large peppermint shrimp that think nothing of tearing apart some otf my corals. Ive lost a red/green open brain to them. I was able to get 2 out, but I still have 2 left in the tank. Other then that, i cant think of anyting else that would make them vanish. I may possibly have a mantis in my tank though, for the past 3 years now I have heard clicking, and popping at night, but after many times of breaking down the tank and trying to see if there is one in any of the rocks I have come up with nothing. Fortunatly, I have not lost any fish lately this was the only mishaps as of late..... I would still love to know what could of possibly killed them.

Any ideas feel free.

Mike

dc · 11/24/2006, 11:10 PM

Could be anything. Bailed out maybe, died in tube and scavengers cleaned out the tube. And even the peppermint. Unless you see the crime, it's really hard to tell.

namdrib2 · 11/25/2006, 02:49 AM

I have had a few leave their tubes and came back two weeks later poped up somewhere else in the tank.

DrBDC · 11/25/2006, 06:15 AM

Feather dusters are very short lived in most tanks. I think I read somewhere their average is 6-9 months.

11/24/2006, 10:23 PM	#1
grahxen Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: NJ Posts: 532	Now you see them, now you don't... Well I have had my share of missing livestock in my tank for awhile after moving back in march. Ive had small fish I've seen the night before turn up missing 8 hours later, Missing shrimp etc. But the latest were 2 fairly large feather dusters, tubes were roughly 3/8 inch diamater and about 5 inches long.They were in the tank for roughly 2 weeks or so when I noticed one of them wasnt coming out. Thought nothing of it then gave it another day still nothing, so i took it out of the water, and low and behold worm gone, nothing left. Tube is still in fine condition, no signs of anything trying to tear through it. So last night I went to check on my tank, made sure I saw most of my inverts that i usually see and the one remaining feather duster was out and happy as usual. This morning woke up, fed the tank after lights were on and noticed again that the duster wasn't opening which was unusual because its always out... SO i waited until tonight when i was cleaning my socks out to check it, pulled it out and again entire tube empty no worm at all. Now i am baffled... If you have read some of my other posts, you may have noticed i have some nasty large peppermint shrimp that think nothing of tearing apart some otf my corals. Ive lost a red/green open brain to them. I was able to get 2 out, but I still have 2 left in the tank. Other then that, i cant think of anyting else that would make them vanish. I may possibly have a mantis in my tank though, for the past 3 years now I have heard clicking, and popping at night, but after many times of breaking down the tank and trying to see if there is one in any of the rocks I have come up with nothing. Fortunatly, I have not lost any fish lately this was the only mishaps as of late..... I would still love to know what could of possibly killed them. Any ideas feel free. Mike

11/24/2006, 11:10 PM	#2
dc Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Wyoming Posts: 44,684	Could be anything. Bailed out maybe, died in tube and scavengers cleaned out the tube. And even the peppermint. Unless you see the crime, it's really hard to tell. __________________ Debi ~60 Cube~ Why? Because I said so of course. -Sent via Tapatalk Smoke Signals-

11/25/2006, 06:15 AM	#4
DrBDC Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ballwin, Missouri Posts: 10,358	Feather dusters are very short lived in most tanks. I think I read somewhere their average is 6-9 months. __________________ Some drink at the fountain of knowledge, some just gargle, but most are rabid. Current Tank Info: 180g sps+75 softy/lps on one system tunze's, seio's, mjmods, aquacontroller w/add ons, 2X400 XM10000 and 3X160 vho actinic, 110g sump, 110 frag tank, Geo Beckett and other stuff

11/25/2006, 02:49 AM	#3
namdrib2 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Norwood MA Posts: 131	I have had a few leave their tubes and came back two weeks later poped up somewhere else in the tank.