IM DESPERATE!! Feather duster invasion

[jaime31]

idk how I got these tiny feather duster guys in the first place but they are getting completely out of control. I really don’t mind them on my rockwork but they are completely covering my eagle eye zoa. I’ve tried picking at them and brushing them off with no luck.. I heard from my lfs that a copperband would take care of them along with the aiptasia but I wanted to get the opinion from the community first
Thanks in advance

 

[KrisReef]

I love my Copperband but if I didn't have wrasse I would get Burghia nudibranch for the aptasia. I don't know if Berghia eat feather dusters? I'm happy with my copperband and it consumed my vast collection of aiptasia and doesn't seem to bother anything else? Would it eat the feather dusters?

 

[mdb_talon]

I read the title and thought..."it can't be that bad". Saw the pic and ya I was wrong lol.

From what I read it very hit or miss with reef safe options that remove them. I would suggest more mechanical filtration, may lbe reef snow(or diy version),etc. Basically options to clean your water column and slow/stop the advance of them and then try some manual removal.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

I love my Copperband but if I didn't have wrasse I would get Burghia nudibranch for the aptasia. I don't know if Berghia eat feather dusters? I'm happy with my copperband and it consumed my vast collection of aiptasia and doesn't seem to bother anything else? Would it eat the feather dusters?

Fortunately/unfortunately, Berghia's only consume anemones (and to my knowledge, only certain "pest" anemones at that) as most nudibranchs have super specific diets. However, I've heard that most FOWLR/Reef Safe With Caution fish might eat feather dusters - looking at multiple sources (including an article from 2017 here on R2R which I've quoted below) wrasse and butterflyfish seem to be particularly dangerous to feather dusters:

The feather duster has several predators that will make quick work of your feather dusters including some types of wrasses, crabs and hawkfish. Butterfly Fish seem to be the biggest threat, however and will not be shy about making a handy meal or two out of your beautiful worms. Make sure to check the compatibility of your critters before introducing them to a tank with feather dusters you want to keep.

 

[Shibaken3]

Less feeding
Manual removal
Wrasse

 

[sfin52]

Are we sure they are a feather duster and not something more else

 

[jaime31]

Yeah they are a pest feather duster worm. I tried cutting them at the top without hurting the zoa but I’ve noticed that unless you cut them fair low at the base they still come back out the tube. I’m gonna try some more manual removal and then maybe wait for a copperband to show up at my lfs

 

[Reefing102]

Any chance of a white light pic? The super thin stems I’m seeing almost make me think colonia hydroids more than feather dusters

 

[jaime31]

Yeah sorry about that I completely forgot that had one with the blue’s filtered out. I have a pic and a short video… The video wouldn’t upload so I put it on YouTube with the link

Pest Feather duster worm invasion

youtube.com

 

[Lllrrr232]

I love my Copperband but if I didn't have wrasse I would get Burghia nudibranch for the aptasia. I don't know if Berghia eat feather dusters? I'm happy with my copperband and it consumed my vast collection of aiptasia and doesn't seem to bother anything else? Would it eat the feather dusters?

I actually got two berghia to take care of my aiptasia, and now im breeding them. They truly take care of it in no time. I have to buy soo much live rock infested with it just to sustain the numbers. I wouldnt try copperbands just bc they are expensive and have no guarentee of eating them. Plus they are pretty hard to keep healthy innitially ive been told. Honestly i love the fish but ive never owned one bc of all the horror stories. Waiting a few years lol

 

[Lllrrr232]

Maybe try a shrimp or crab of some sort? Its a cheaper option. Ive had peppermint shrimp and emerald crabs both go crazy for those tiny feather dusters. They typically begin to dissapear too if you ensure you dont overfeed or dose anything for a little while

 

[Lllrrr232]

Maybe try a shrimp or crab of some sort? Its a cheaper option. Ive had peppermint shrimp and emerald crabs both go crazy for those tiny feather dusters. They typically begin to dissapear too if you ensure you dont overfeed or dose anything for a little while

At least in my experience. I kinda wanted to keep mine bc im in love with biodiversity and they werent harming anything

 

[TnFishwater98]

idk how I got these tiny feather duster guys in the first place but they are getting completely out of control. I really don’t mind them on my rockwork but they are completely covering my eagle eye zoa. I’ve tried picking at them and brushing them off with no luck.. I heard from my lfs that a copperband would take care of them along with the aiptasia but I wanted to get the opinion from the community first
Thanks in advance

View attachment 2895072

Get some bubble bee snails…. I had a population growing got a little worried but bumble bee snails helped a lot. also newer tanks usually see a population spike but then dwindle.

 

[Reefing102]

Now I’m seeing the feather dusters. I’d probably go for a wrasse that might work many of the “with caution” will go for snails and also feather dusters

 

[TnFishwater98]

 

[jaime31]

Thanks guys! I actually already have bumblebee snails and they are taking care of the vermetid snails that I have but are not touching the dusters. I also have a six line and a cleaner wrasse and they don’t even look at them lol I’m gonna give it a go and try the emerald crab I think I saw one at the lfs the other day. My next thing would be the berghia and the crab and cross my fingers

 

[Tamberav]

If the tank is big enough and you don't have anything that would beat the crap out of a copperband... it would eat both of your problems.

 

[Lllrrr232]

Thanks guys! I actually already have bumblebee snails and they are taking care of the vermetid snails that I have but are not touching the dusters. I also have a six line and a cleaner wrasse and they don’t even look at them lol I’m gonna give it a go and try the emerald crab I think I saw one at the lfs the other day. My next thing would be the berghia and the crab and cross my fingers

Hoping it works! I would definitely get some berghia as the aiptasia is more likely to annoy the corals than the feather dusters, and its the only thing ive seen guarentee they dissapear. Try to get two bc they hunt with partners, and if you have a big aiptasia outbreak, they can breed and get every last one. They are nocturnal so you likely wont see em much till they breed and begin to run out of food. They should take care of a decent size outbreak pretty quickly! Ill let you know of i think of anything else likely to eat the feathers!! I would say a filefish but those suckers also go after a lot of coral/anemones so i wouldnt risk it

 

[Sailaway]

Get some bubble bee snails…. I had a population growing got a little worried but bumble bee snails helped a lot. also newer tanks usually see a population spike but then dwindle.

I can second this, my bumblebee goes crazy for the tiny feather dusters.

 

[Hairyteeth]

I agree with the statement above, I bet the aptasia are the ones actually bothering them…an arrow crab would demolish the dusters as well, and easy to remove if you want it out