NEW FEATHER DUSTER OUT OF TUBE

[Norcoreefer]

Feather duster put in tank today. Parameters all solid as can be (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates all good). He had decent flow and was acting totally normal all afternoon. The moment I turned out the lights, boom the bugger jumps ship and is now completely out of his tube and crawling on the sand. Do I just leave him and pray he is okay? I've read trying to put back in the tube is a bad idea I mean he left the tube for a reason right? Nothing has picked at him as I've kept an eye on him since putting him in the tank. In the attached picture my green goby is chilling by his tube now that it is empty but the goby does not bother anyone and is a very solitary fella. The second picture is after he was put in the tank. Seemed quite content I figured but apparently not. I'd hate to lose him and don't want him to die while I'm at work and throw the tank off with a die off as he is quite chunky.

 

[fishguy242]

Hi, I would try to gently slide back into tube,WIWD, best wishes...

 

[homer1475]

Whats odd is they usually shed their crown(the feather duster part) before leaving their tube to make another.

 

[Fishy Fish]

Burry it under the sand/substrate (trust me it happen to mine and it survive making new tube) not too deep tho

 

[Fishy Fish]

It's healthy now , if my memory didn't fail me it need more or less 1 week to create a brand new tube

 

[Norcoreefer]

Burry it under the sand/substrate (trust me it happen to mine and it survive making new tube) not too deep tho

I've read of guys doing that and several just popped back up and wouldn't stay buried. I'll give him a bit here and see what he does. He's safe as no predators in the tank so

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ive had this happen twice and both times, they built a new tube as others mentioned. I even had one that abandoned tube and a couple of weeks later a new, smaller duster worm emerged.

 

[Norcoreefer]

Ive had this happen twice and both times, they built a new tube as others mentioned. I even had one that abandoned tube and a couple of weeks later a new, smaller duster worm emerged.

Do they build a new tube on top of the sand or will they burrow down? 8 hrs later he is still laying on the sand and will react to light so isn't dead but sure is not doing anything productive by the looks of it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Do they build a new tube on top of the sand or will they burrow down? 8 hrs later he is still laying on the sand and will react to light so isn't dead but sure is not doing anything productive by the looks of it.

They build their way up. I believe the tube is made of detritus mud reinforced with pieces of sand and shells from the bedding itself

 

[fishguy242]

Would loosen a groove in sand bed, lay in about 1" deep ,tank appears to not be that old, age ?
lay old tube next to it and bury ,would provide debris to rebuild ,wouldn't just leave not moving, JMO.

 

[tharbin]

It is not that uncommon, although as already mentioned they usually shed their crown first. I'd leave it alone. It is not unlike what frequently happens with anemones. It didn't care for where you placed it so it is moving but it can't take its tube with it. If it is not disturbed by other inhabitants it should start to build a new tube once it finds a neighborhood it likes. It usually takes a few weeks to fully build the tube which is mucus ,bits of miscellaneous sand/shell and detritus (yum).

 

[Norcoreefer]

It is not that uncommon, although as already mentioned they usually shed their crown first. I'd leave it alone. It is not unlike what frequently happens with anemones. It didn't care for where you placed it so it is moving but it can't take its tube with it. If it is not disturbed by other inhabitants it should start to build a new tube once it finds a neighborhood it likes. It usually takes a few weeks to fully build the tube which is mucus ,bits of miscellaneous sand/shell and detritus (yum).

I got home from work today and the worm had moved into the far corner of the tank. It was not going to do him any good back there so I made a trench and buried most of his body in the sand. I looked at the second worm still in the tube and it looks like his feathers are now rotting away????? See picture.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I got home from work today and the worm had moved into the far corner of the tank. It was not going to do him any good back there so I made a trench and buried most of his body in the sand. I looked at the second worm still in the tube and it looks like his feathers are now rotting away????? See picture.

As mentioned, they use sand , detritus and loose shells to make their new tube in which this guy wasted no time doing so

 

[Norcoreefer]

As mentioned, they use sand , detritus and loose shells to make their new tube in which this guy wasted no time doing so

What do you mean he wasted no time doing.... I think you misunderstood possibly my last comment...

 

[vetteguy53081]

What do you mean he wasted no time doing.... I think you misunderstood possibly my last comment...

Oh - you made it- I thought the worm made it as you did a good job- its what it looks like when they construct a tube. As for its head and condition, they can restore that from filter feeding as long as its not dying

 

[Norcoreefer]

Oh - you made it- I thought the worm made it as you did a good job- its what it looks like when they construct a tube. As for its head and condition, they can restore that from filter feeding as long as its not dying

Again I have no idea what you are on about mate. I didn't make **** nor did a worm make anything.... I think you are genuinely lost now.

 

[MoshJosh]

Again I have no idea what you are on about mate. I didn't make **** nor did a worm make anything.... I think you are genuinely lost now.

I think maybe there was some confusion with the post and the picture haha when I first read it I only skimmed and was like WOW the worm built a tube fast (thinking the pictured worm was the same one that "escaped")

 

[Norcoreefer]

I think maybe there was some confusion with the post and the picture haha when I first read it I only skimmed and was like WOW the worm built a tube fast (thinking the pictured worm was the same one that "escaped")

That's why in my post I explained I buried the one and the second one is now melting its crown? Like I don't see where the confusion is because my post with the picture of the melting feathers is clear as day in terms of explaining what happened and what is now happening. Originally the second worm was doing fine. While he is still in his tube, his crown is literally melting away.

 

[MoshJosh]

Possibly the 2 are related. If I am not mistaken feather dusters can abandon their tube in search of more favorable conditions? Maybe both are unhappy for some reason. Water parameters? Feeding? Flow? Tank mates?

Also, us reef2reefers cannot be trusted to read the entire post all the time! haha

 

[Norcoreefer]

Possibly the 2 are related. If I am not mistaken feather dusters can abandon their tube in search of more favorable conditions? Maybe both are unhappy for some reason. Water parameters? Feeding? Flow? Tank mates?

Everything is good. As per the post. Can't really get more favorable. They are literally a day old in my tank, feeding is not a reason to jump ship on first day imo. Idk. I'm honestly at a loss at this point.