Feather Dusters

[Lorna]

I added two hawaiian feather dusters on saturday and they seem to be doing great. They recede in and out of their tubes about once an hour. Is this normal? I read somewhere if they recede often that they are unhappy? I have them place on the substrate in an area of moderate flow......I know they are filter feeders and wonder if I should be adding something like DTS or such as I have read good and bad reagarding this type of supplements......any suggestions/ideas success stories?

also added a small 6 line wrasse who is constantly in and out of the rock picking at it though I haven't seen him eat mysis or enriched brine......My pod population is exploding so hopefully he is finding enough to eat.

 

[1979camaro]

Those big feather dusters generally end up starving...similar problems to what you find with flame scallops. I know some people try to supplement feeding with a variety of things, but my understanding is that there food size specifications are very particular and so it is difficult to effectively feed them without polluting the tank.

The other thing I have in my mind about thess is that they should have their tube mostly burried in substrate...but I could be mistaken about that

 

[OCCFan023]

yea I heard that there tubes are suppose to be burried to help protect there casing thing. There very sensitive and will retract at the slightest disturbance, there probably still situating into the new tank and adjusting to waterflow and everything.

 

[Lorna]

I have approximately half to 2/3 of their tube buried. Well I did have some DTS at home so I added some......then I also thaw the silversides I feed my anemone in tank water and I added that water back as suggested somewhere........need to watch my phosphates......thanks!

 

[Mushroomman]

I got one on a piece of rock,(not buried, but well covered) thing is huge (3 inches bout) been doing ok for a while, actually growing, Im suprised it didnt starve yet. Let us know how they do.

 

[FishGeek]

I would watch those snails with that Wrasse. We had one and he demolished our snail population. He piled them up too as if to say ha ha. Little Turd!!