Feather duster out!

[reefer buddy]

Ok I have a feather duster that I got about a month ago. Today it was sticking out of it's tube about 3" and moving it's crown all around. then just 45 mins ago it came out of its tube and started moving about the sand. It looks just like the worm that was caught the other day, but with a crown. what should I do is it dying? Or just looking for a new home?

 

[reefboarder]

Ime it's probably on its way out.
I had a coco worm when I first got into the hobby and sustained it for a little over a year, it did the same thing before it died.
I've read of some rare occasions where it would do this and actually start another tube, but it is unlikely.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

back in my first reef aquarium I had a large featherduster that fared poorly (my fault- I was ignorant) but after shedding it's crown and moving around it recovered.

These are amazingly hardy animals IMO/IME.

In the right environment it will recover.

 

[josepha]

It is not abnormal for a feahter duster that is getting too much flow, or not enough food (which is a problem) to "jump ship" and look for a better spot. It is more often, unfortunately that they are not getting enough food as they require a large amount of micron sized food to sustain, hence the lower survival rate of these organisms.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

It is not abnormal for a feahter duster that is getting too much flow, or not enough food (which is a problem) to "jump ship" and look for a better spot. It is more often, unfortunately that they are not getting enough food as they require a large amount of micron sized food to sustain, hence the lower survival rate of these organisms.

x2
feed phytoplankton. Rotifers. Unplug the skimmer. Create the proper environment. 'Dusters need suspended food.

These foods are not normally found in heavily filtered reef aquariums where we grow corals that occur in nutrient poor waters.

Not all marine animals occur in the same environment.

 

[reefer buddy]

He was on his way out. thanks all