A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

[reef tank 2.0]

i like feather dusters. I had one in my last tank, but for some odd reason, he didn't last long (few months). I never bought another and didn't look into "why" it died. But this time around, I'd like to get another, I will double check all requirements before doing so.

 

[ghill]

Love the one I have now and have ordered 2 more.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

i like feather dusters. I had one in my last tank, but for some odd reason, he didn't last long (few months). I never bought another and didn't look into "why" it died. But this time around, I'd like to get another, I will double check all requirements before doing so.

We're you feeding any particulate matter like coral food or phyto?

 

[reef tank 2.0]

going off memory, i THINK i was feeding it reef-roids from time to time, certainly not every day.

 

[Liam's tank]

Yup, came with my live rock & sand.

 

[shakacuz]

i've had regular feather dusters, as well as coco worms previously. both jumped ship(left their tubes) during the night and were taken care of the CUC by morning. now i have lots of very small feather dusters(that basically are identical to the coco worm, just significantly smaller)

would love to try my hand at keeping some bigger sized ones again.

 

[Leon821019218]

Got the standard little ones that come with live rock and such. And I bought one (purple) Problem was that in my main tank there was a tang and a clown that thought it was a snack or something Moved it to the sump and today put in a cube that I'm starting. Hopefully the fish that will live in there will leave it alone...

 

[jabberwock]

Hitchers

 

[TinnysReef]

I really like feather dusters. My mom called them "THE TREES" then was super disturbed when I told her they were worms lol. I had 3 of them in my tank at one point, but found out too late that my pink pincushion urchins found them delicious. RIP trees.

 

[nano reef]

I have a hitchhiker come in on a rock that housed a shroom I bought! To bad its not pretty and bright!

 

[College_Reefer]

I keep Christmas Tree Worms... while not entirely the same thing, I think they count!

 

[vlangel]

I love feather dusters. I have had multiple types but the only type I can keep more than 2 years are the small ones that came in on rock.

 

[Joekovar]

The maroon clown hosted them to death.

 

[Oiseaufeu]

I have my feather dusters since I was cycling my tank. There were originally 4 feather dusters at the beginning. But now, I see a few more popping up. I have a few whites, reds and one that is a darker red and white.

 

[pearlofthesea]

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

Whether the feather dusters showed up in your reef aquarium as hitchhikers or through intentional introduction, they add something unique and even magical to an aquarium setting. Feather dusters come in a range of colors and patterns and their movement as they filter the water for food is enjoyable to watch. Good water quality, stability of the water parameters, and a slow transition can all help with maintaining the health of these creatures as well as maintaining them in areas of moderate light and flow. Additionally, protection and gentle treatment of their tubes is also important. Because they tend to stay retracted when the conditions are less-than-optimal, they can also be effective indicators for the observant reef keeper to identify potential issues. What about your tank – have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium? Please tell us about your experience in the related discussion and we’d love to see pictures of your feather dusters!

Photo by @Exclusive Corals


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I have 2, I find them fascinating and pretty.

 

[Ghostweim]

I love my feather duster! I picked it up from a local LFS. This one is super hardy - has been drug around the tank more times than I can count by my urchins. I would love to pick up another one when I have the chance.

 

[John Biddle]

I currently have a common brown and white feather duster and a purple and yellow coco worm in my 20G and I like them both. The coco worm doesn't seem to like where I put him, though why he would like laying on the bottom where he winds up mystifies me.

Many decades ago in my first foray into saltwater I had a number of christmas tree worms (10 or 12) in several live rocks. One night they simultaneously spawned, filling my 55G tank with many hundreds of eggs and enough sperm to make the water milky enough so I couldn't see all the way through the tank (and I had halides). I wouldn't know today how to possibly raise those fertilized eggs but in the early '80s I really had no idea anyone could do it, certainly not me. Anyone know if it can be done?