Overrun by feather dusters-UGH!

[sailorman]

Like the title says, my tank and sump have become overrun by feather dusters. They are everywhere! Hopefully the flow through the piping is too swift for them to establish there. Some may think these are cool by I see a major mess in the making. Any ideas about how to get rid of them or cut down the sheer number of the unwanted guests?

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[RobertTheNurse]

Like the title says, my tank and sump have become overrun by feather dusters. They are everywhere! Hopefully the flow through the piping is too swift for them to establish there. Some may think these are cool by I see a major mess in the making. Any ideas about how to get rid of them or cut down the sheer number of the unwanted guests?

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Sorry I'm no help, but I'm following this to see what people think, and for tips. One, two, three...fine...otherwise

 

[TheDragonsReef]

Honestly theyre a really good thing to have and i would just leave them. Lots of natural filtration.

If you must get rid of them, the ones on the glass are easy to scrape off with a razor. The ones on the rock are not as easy to remove but you can super glue their tubes shut or get a long nose butterfly to eat them.

 

[JediCruz]

So if you want me to say how to get rid of them then this comment will not help you. I’m going to try and convince you to keep them. They help with the filtration of the tank. They filter out small particulates that are typically too small to be caught by regular filtration. If those particulates break down, then nitrates and phosphates go up. So I say keep them. I’m all about going natural.

 

[vetteguy53081]

These are not feather dusters but rather tube worms which use the fans to capture food. They favor brine shrimp. Simply direct flow towards them - Not at them and they will soon starve. You can also scrape them off into toilet. Just assure you get the entire tubes off.

 

[sailorman]

So if you want me to say how to get rid of them then this comment will not help you. I’m going to try and convince you to keep them. They help with the filtration of the tank. They filter out small particulates that are typically too small to be caught by regular filtration. If those particulates break down, then nitrates and phosphates go up. So I say keep them. I’m all about going natural.

I can appreciate their role in the tank but these are covering things like the sump level optical sensor.

 

[sailorman]

These are not feather dusters but rather tube worms which use the fans to capture food. They favor brine shrimp. Simply direct flow towards them - Not at them and they will soon starve. You can also scrape them off into toilet. Just assure you get the entire tubes off.

I was wondering if turning a powerhead on them would discourage their growth. How about an arrow crab for the ones in the sump?

 

[sailorman]

These are not feather dusters but rather tube worms which use the fans to capture food. They favor brine shrimp. Simply direct flow towards them - Not at them and they will soon starve. You can also scrape them off into toilet. Just assure you get the entire tubes off.

I remember adding a big beautiful feather duster years ago. It did not survive. Now look at what I've got growing, filter feeding tube worms a plenty. I have a roller filter so I'm surprised there are any particles to eat reaching them.

 

[Dkmoo]

I remember adding a big beautiful feather duster years ago. It did not survive. Now look at what I've got growing, filter feeding tube worms a plenty. I have a roller filter so I'm surprised there are any particles to eat reaching them.

Rollers doesn't have small enough microns to capture the food that they capture. Thats why some consider them beneficial.

Honestly tho, if some are covering stuff that absolutely can't be covered, then only remove those small sections. Don't try to eliminate all of them. They are there bc there's a lot of nutrient in your water. If suddenly they are removed that just means something else will absorb them and take over the tank. Compared to other filter feeders, they are the most harmless. Compared to for ex, vermetids may spit out nets that bother corals, or even worse you get hydroids.

 

[Miami Reef]

I had a ton of them in my system that hitchhiked and reproduced. This is your tank, and if you don’t like it you have every right to remove them.

If someone tells you that you should keep those tube worms because they filter feed and prevent algae, bacteria, etc. etc.

my favorite idiom:

“the cure is worse than the disease”

If this was my tank I’d do a rip clean. That’s the only quick and effective way to stop this growth.

I mean, there are certain butterfly/angel fish that consume them...but I wouldn’t count on them completely eradicating these critters for you.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I remember adding a big beautiful feather duster years ago. It did not survive. Now look at what I've got growing, filter feeding tube worms a plenty. I have a roller filter so I'm surprised there are any particles to eat reaching them.

Yes- rolling food platter . . . LOL

 

[ReefBeta]

In the tank, some fish like copperband butterfly will eat them. But I won't recommend getting that fish just to get rid of those. In my opinion, I will perfect to have them to vermetid snail any day. Both of them feed on the same food source so they will be competing against vermetid snail for food and space.

In the sump, honestly you just need to clean your equipment regularly. They could be a good reminder. Quarterly cleaning should lower their number enough.