Nude Feather Duster

[ud92785]

I'm at my local fish store last night and one of the items I wanted to purchase was a Feather Duster. There were two crowns sticking out of opposite ends of a tangle of tubes, so the LFS employee starts to separate the tubes, but then decides that it's best just to give me them both - instant 2 for 1 sale! Awesome I'm thinking, and to show my gratitude I tell him to give me a couple of those Margarita Snails in the next tank too!

Once home, after acclimating everyone, I'm getting ready to move the Feather Dusters to my display tank, and what do I find but that one of the Dusters is actually sans tube!

My first thought was that he was dead, but on further inspection he was opening and closing his crown in reaction to my poking, so I went ahead and added him to the tank right next to his tubed buddy. I turned off the power head on that side of the tank for now because it did blow him around at first.

He seemed to settle right down and both guys opened their crowns right away. I could see the necked duster twisting and curling somewhat, but as of this morning he's still within about an inch of his covered buddy.

So my question is, is this guy doomed or will he build a new tube? I only have a skunk clown and coral beauty for fish in the tank, the rest are corals and clean up crew.

Many thanks in advance!

 

[invertaman]

He probally left his tube because the stress of moving. They also sometimes will do this is they don't like where you put them. And yes he will make a new tube, where ever he wants I might add

 

[RicksReefs]

now's a good time to turkey baste your rocks to get some detritus stirred up and to give the duster what he needs to build a new tube.

 

[E.intheC]

be careful with any predators in your tank.,. the tube worm is pretty open and vulnerable right now

 

[BuddhaKiss]

He will build a new tube and I agree with basting your rocks. The suspended detritus will help it build a new tube. They do look pretty weird and gross naked don't they?

 

[Koshmar]

Anyone got a pic of one naked, I've never seen one out and about. (I know that was weird but there was no good way to type that)

 

[ud92785]

Thank you all for your replies. Good news update, he did indeed build himself a new tube and looks great. It took him about four days to build the new tube. I can't tell how long it is, he's wedged himself under a fallen piece of Candy Cane, but the tube is visible under his crown.

Sorry, didn't think to take a picture...