Feather Duster gone away

[robsimm]

Hey all,
I am new here, and just have a general query about one my my tube feather dusters in my tank. One is currently out and healthy, going in when feeding and out when it wants to, however the other has retreated into the tube, and has not come out for over 4 days. What should I do? I read you can cut off the top, and it will regrow its head.

Also, I am not feeding them anything specific like plankton, I just put in the fish feed, and the seem to take that, however, could it be I am not feeding them plankton that could be causing the other to go.

 

[ste2k3]

Hi and to the forum.

firstly, fether dusters will shed there head from time to time and may not come out for a while so that could have happened. I don't think it is lack of food as the others are healthy. they will not take brine, mysis chopped mussel or whatever you feed the fish as the particle size is too large. it may just be getting caught in the "feathers". I would suggest feeding plankton. Are you in the UK ? if so, then I'd recamend phyto-aqua which is live cultured phyto-plankton which has been washed, to remove any of the growing nutrients that in an aquarium, could cause unwanted algae to grow. with it being live, it (in theory) should live in the system until eaten although I think that it would die off after a while or quicker if you have a U.V. this is why I prefer it to things like phytoplex from kent. if you cant get hold of this, the a preserved phytoplankton will be fine (such as kent) but don't overdose. you don't say wether you have any corals (soft are hard) as these would benafit from a little food also. lastly, do you have live rock as some plankton may be produced from that?

ste

 

[robsimm]

Thankyou for the warm welcome.

As for the array of questions you asked me...
Yes, I live in the good 'ole UK, and I think I have seen some of that plankton you are mentioning for sale at my local fish store. I have about 30KG of Live rock in my system as well, so I think some plankton might be produced from that. And I do not have any corals whatsoever, only an anenomae.