Is this a feather duster making a crawl for it?

ThunderGoose · May 3, 2018

Yesterday I added a new feather duster to my tank. This evening I spotted this on the rock near where the feather duster casing sits. Is this the feather duster? I'm a bit worried that my sexy shrimp are interested in it.

I've had mixed results with these guys - some I've had for a year (still going...), others shed their "feathers" and died shortly after arrival. I've never had one move, although I've heard they will. This is only a 10 gallon tank so if it dies I'm worried about a spike in nitrates. Guess I'll make small, daily water changes for a bit just in case.

Lovemyreef2015 · May 3, 2018

The picture didn't post. Could you post it again please

ThunderGoose · May 4, 2018

Let's try that picture again...

Lovemyreef2015 · May 4, 2018

Unfortunately that's what it looks like. It also looks like the shrimp are picking at it. I would remove it.

cracker · May 4, 2018

what is the name of fish in the pic? Hope the duster is ok.

ThunderGoose · May 4, 2018

cracker said:
what is the name of fish in the pic? Hope the duster is ok.

That is a masked goby. They stay small and are very active so they're great for nano tanks.

The feather duster worm has disappeared. We'll see if it shows up again. IMHO they either die quickly or do well, about 50-50.

cracker · May 4, 2018

cool little fish ! I'm looking for" small "colorful & peaceful fish for a 75. let us know if the feather shows up ! I wouldn't be surprised . Do they have the ability to move? I mean they have a hardened tube right? Be kinda difficult to drag the thing around. So no tube or anything? Very interesting.

cristata.reef · May 5, 2018

@cracker get a flasher wrasse for your 75. Super peaceful and the epitome of colorful

reef lover · May 5, 2018

Feather dusters worms will abandon the tube if they want to find a better spot then resecrete a new one. Hopefully he shows up for you.

ThunderGoose · May 5, 2018

cracker said:
cool little fish ! I'm looking for" small "colorful & peaceful fish for a 75. let us know if the feather shows up ! I wouldn't be surprised . Do they have the ability to move? I mean they have a hardened tube right? Be kinda difficult to drag the thing around. So no tube or anything? Very interesting.

These are VERY small. I second the flasher wrasse suggestion for a 75. The masked gobies are similar in size to a neon tetra. However, if you are interested they're from KP aquatics.

cristata.reef · May 5, 2018

@ThunderGoose do the masked gobies school/shoal at all?

ThunderGoose · May 5, 2018

Sonofives said:
@ThunderGoose do the masked gobies school/shoal at all?

They don't really school. They are usually a bit spread out. Three of them hang around various areas of the tank like you would expect but one of them has decided she's a watchman type goby and had dug herself a little burrow. I'm thinking of adding a snapping shrimp to see if she'll pair with it.

cristata.reef · May 6, 2018

ThunderGoose said:
They don't really school. They are usually a bit spread out. Three of them hang around various areas of the tank like you would expect but one of them has decided she's a watchman type goby and had dug herself a little burrow. I'm thinking of adding a snapping shrimp to see if she'll pair with it.

Awh that's a shame. IMO they would look great swimming in between the branches of some acros in a SPS tank. I'd get some for my 32 gal but I guarantee that my clowns will murder them