FEATHER DUSTERS

david · 06-05-2003, 10:08 AM

Whats the secret to keep em'? I've had a 30 gal reef tank with mushrooms ,hammer,bubble,shrimp,etc. Everything florished and did great w/no problems. But dam if I couldn't keep one duster alive????I even tried squzin' freah mussel next to them to feed them. I've tried heavy currant, slack current. I've put them in the top of the tank and the bottom of the tank.If dusters could speak I would be known as the duster slayer. Help anyone?

Craig Manoukian · 06-05-2003, 02:49 PM

Have you tried target feeding DTs Phytoplankton?

david · 06-06-2003, 08:49 AM

No I never have please explain exactly how to target feed, and also what is &quot

Ts" is that the brand name ? Thank you for the help craig!!

Wrassman · 06-06-2003, 09:30 AM

[glow=Green, 2, 80%]Hey david,

&quot

T'S" is the brand name for some pretty good phytoplankton. It comes in a bottle. The way I would do it is mix it with a little RO/DI fresh water, then suck it up in a turkey baster. Put the baster in near the duster, and slowly release the &quot

T'S" while the duster is open.

They do indeed like phytoplankton. They really like the "natural" kind if you can provide that. Do you have a sump, or a refugium? I have a sump/refugium where I have a LOT of macroalgae living (Caulerpa sp., and the like). My feather duster just loves the phytoplankton fom my refugium. Here's a pic:[/glow]

[glow=Green, 2, 80%]One last thing, what else is in the tank with your feather duster? What kind of shrimp? What kind of crab? What kind of fish? Do you know if any are predatory for worms?

I will try to help you, david !!![/glow]

david · 06-07-2003, 03:10 AM

I don't have very much in the tank it's quite new about 6 months old I have a dozen or more scarlet leg hermits all are very small. A dozen turbo snails,one coral beauty,and a pepperment shrimp.There are small dusters on my live rock that do fine (the little white hard tube kind) but one piece of live rock I got had a larger duster on it the fan was about a half in. wide(parchment looking tube kind) I put this one in my tank and never saw it come out again. Now the tube looks like its falling apart and the crabs did eat the hell out of it, but that wasn't untill it started lookin' shabby. As for a sump no I don't have one I'm thinkin of gettin' one now, but I'm so scared of the flood potential.

Wrassman · 06-07-2003, 09:51 AM

[glow=Purple, 2, 99%]Go talk to the guys in DIY about a sump, they can fix you up one that doesn't leak -- guaranteed.

As for your feather dusters, something is in that tank that you don't know about. You have a hitchiking crab, sounds like to me, munching on those large worms. Until you figure out who the 'killer' is, I wouldn't but any more to put in there. You know?? [smiley=uhoh.gif][/glow]

david · 06-07-2003, 10:10 AM

What would be the best way to fish out the killer?I do have one "scarlet leg" who looks rather brown than scarlet but I got him with like six others at the time. It's very small but definately more brown than scarlet!
Thanks wrassman!!!

karlas · 06-08-2003, 09:54 AM

i would say its someting with a taste for dusters also. dusters really dont seem to need much work if any at all. i would take a flash light put some red renylds wrap over it and go critter huntin at night and see if you see anything

david · 06-27-2003, 03:17 AM

I have this big beautiful duster. I thought it had died, but ever since I put 10lbs. of live sand in my tank it comes out but only at night? It is very skiddish when I walk up to the tank it dissappers quick. when I bought this piece of live rock it was out during the day. What would make it only come out at night?And why so shy now? Any way the 90* degree heat hit vermont finally. So I went out and bought an air conditioner for the room my tank is in. I had to wait till I got paid that week so I (and my wife who was pissed about it) spent two days floating ice bags and monitoring temp hourly thank god for a.c.!!!

karlas · 06-27-2003, 05:20 AM

it could be just a picky duster i think some prefer sandy areas over rock or the other way around. also if they dont like where they are put they will move around until they find a spot they like. mine did that it was on top of the rock easy to see but it moved out of its tube and went down behind the rock and made a new tube but it seems happy there.