feather duster out of it's tube, help....

[bexarhunt]

I have a yellow feather duster that this morning has decided to vacate it's tube. I've had it for about 6 mos now and did some aquarium remodeling yesterday. This morning I found it on the sand and it's tube where it has always been about midway in the aquarium. The tube actually looks cut. His bright yellow feathers are open even out of the tube. he measures about an inch and a half long. What do I do? Will my Coris Wrasse go after it as it is now exposed? Can anyone give me some advice? I hate to loose it. One pic below shows it's tube and another shows it on the sand in front of a live rock as it sits now.

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll289/velmahunt/saltwater/IMG_8690.jpg
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll289/velmahunt/saltwater/IMG_8691.jpg
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll289/velmahunt/saltwater/IMG_8692.jpg

[crabman]

i've had smaller feather dusters out of the tube on my sandbed before, and they just created a new one it seemed by hardening the sand around it. but this was when i first started and hadn't really added much yet, so there were only a few damsels in there. not sure if your wrasse would eat it.

[phrog]

It should just make a new tube. If you're really concerned, just bury it up to its feathers.

[bimmerzs]

Hi,

Dusters normally vacate their ube's as a last ditch effort to survive. Either it really didn't like the location or something may have started to stress it. I would also advise buring it's body in the sand.

Cheers,

[bexarhunt]

I have tried burying it in the sand up to it's feathers several times but it works its way out everytime. It is still alive. Not really sure what else to try?

[tony]

i would just leave it be, at this point you may be doing more harm than good by moving him around and burying him (which seems to be irritating him)

[copperband]

he should just make a new tube.

[bexarhunt]

I will leave it be and hope he doesn't disappear under the live rocks and die :(

[barderer]

check you water parameters and temps. They usually vacate tubes if the water is bad or they can't get food where they are at. I would isolate it from any hermit crabs or fish that might pick at it until it makes a new tube. You want the water flow to go through the back of the feathers that is the way it feeds. E.G. if you spot feed it, squirt the food behind the duster and let the flow carry the food into the feathers.