?? Feather Dusters

[Iron Crab]

About a week before Christmas I bought a couple of large featherdusters. Once in my tank they went down hill. My water checked out OK both at the LFS and my own tests. One has retreated into its tube and I haven't seen it in a while- the other lost its feathers. I tested the water again.
ph 8-8.1
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
ammonia 0
alk 9
cal 440
phos <.03

Today the one that lost it's feathers has came out again after being gone for a few weeks but for only short periods. The feathers are real short. Don't know if they are growing or it was a inner set of feathers that it didn't shed.
everything else in the tank looks great. At the time I only have 3 fish and 3 corals.
According to Fenner's book these guys are easy to keep but since I started saltwater they are the only things I've had trouble with.
What am I overlooking here. Thanks

[Northman_with_reef]

Your feathers need food!!!!

Try to feed them SMALL pieces of food wich kind of "drifts" into their tentacle crown.
Most feathers don't like light.....

Thomas

[VIC]

Your featherdusters are probably starving to death. Since your water parameters are so clean, there probably is not enough phytoplankton in your system to feed them. I would suggest purchasing some DT's Phytoplankton and adding a capful 2x a week. Don't forget to keep it refrigerated. You can get it at premiumaquatics.com.
Good luck,
Vic

[Iron Crab]

I don't know if I would say that they were going hungry.
Before I got them I talked to two people at a LFS (not the one where I got them- my big mistake) and was told that they would be fed enough on the leftovers from feeding the fish.
In my book it also states "getting their sustenance from the foods offered to the fishes." It also states " you can offer prepared rations a few times a week".
Since I feed my fish brine shrimp 2-3 times a week and the current alway took them thru the dusters I felt this would be enough. Am I wrong here??
It seemed that they started on the downward slide just about 3 to 4 days after I got them. -??

Well, the main reason for writing is where do I go from here. How do you feed them if they never come out of their tubes?
Is it now a lost cause or is there still hope?


Bill

[naser]

try to get a smaller type food that they can catch and eat... phytoplankton is great stuff. it stays in the water coloum till eatin or skimmed. brine i feel is too big for a feather to eat.

[Iron Crab]

I sort of don't want to keep dragging this. I'll go with the smaller foods. Should I shut the skimmer down for a while after feeding or won't it matter??
Also, it was about 3-4 days after I got them that I noticed that their feathers started to thin, lose their color and just looked ragged. Seems to me that something was going on besides feeding. ?? This seemed to happen pretty quick.
Thanks for all the input.
Bill

[naser]

i know feathers after being stresses will loose all of the feathers... ive never owed one so i dont know. and no you wouldnt have to shutdown your skimmer.

[Penguin]

I don't have the book in front of me now, but I seem to remember Bob Fenner writing in the CMA that feather dusters can be kept for many months with no supplemental feedings. Even so, if you clean your tank glass a few times a week you're probably stirring up phyto that the dusters could eat. They do drop their feathers when they are stressed, but they should regrow in a few weeks.

[Penguin]

Forgot to mention, I also noticed the "ragged" look you described once when water parameters were subpar.

[Iron Crab]

Thanks everyone,
I don't really know what happened. It was just the dusters that seemed to be having trouble. One is coming around slowly- still don't know about the other one. I'll put all your advice to use and see what happens. thanks again, Bill

[mountainraised]

One question that hasnt been asked is what fish do you have? That might be a possible problem if you have a copper-banded butterfly or other omivorous grazer....

[Iron Crab]

Fish- 1 Foxface,1 damsel, & 1 clownfish
I do have hermits, a couple green crabs, 1 sally lightfoot.
Never saw any problems with the livestock.

[Northman_with_reef]

If anything could be bothering the feather it would be the fox, but it is highly unlikley(about 1 too 1000).....

I'd say their just starving, it seems like your having too clean water.......Talk about beeing a good reefer

[Minh Nguyen]

The large feather duster need a well establish tank with great fauna to do well in. They usually starve to death in new tank.
About your tank, you should feed more than just with brine shrimp. Try a variety of food. The fish will be much healthier.