The Feather Duster makes a valuable addition to your home tank. It is endearing to watch as its feathers wander while the base being attached in the tank floor. The Feather Duster, also known as fan worm, belongs to the Annelida phylum and class Polychaeta. They are marine segmented worms that attach to rocks or sand by their base. The Feather Duster is suspension feeders filtering food out of the water column using their specialized tentacles. The feathery crown is also called a "radiole" and is used as both gills and to bring food to its mouth which is at the center of that crown. They are able to retract their tentacles into their tube when they fear a fish might be about to nibble their tentacles. The Feather Duster collects food from their fans and also for breathing and sorting sediment particles in their tubes.
There is a worm living inside the Feather Duster's tube, which is made of calcium carbonate, and it lengthens as the worm grows, and protects their delicate body. There are many species of fan worms found in most of the world's oceans from intertidal to deep depths. The Feather Duster carries a colorful "crown" of feathers. These feathers are pushed up through the opening of the tube and act as a catching device for food. The Feather Duster is related to sabellid worms, beach worms and bristle worms. The larger species can grow up to around 3 cm across the crown. The Feather Duster can be placed on the substrate or into your rockwork, and will attach its foot and remain stable once placed into the aquarium. With its unique design and activity, it draws attention to your aquarium, making it a valuable addition to your tank.
The Feather Duster is a great addition to any tank. They don't require any care and are great to watch. A worm lives within the tan tube of the Feather Duster, and this worm carries a colorful "crown" of feathers. These feathers are pushed up through the opening of the tube and act as a catching device for food, which is collected by the worm's mouth at the base of the feathers. The worm uses the tube as protection and will quickly pull in the feathered crown when it detects a predator. The Feather Duster can be placed on the substrate or into your rockwork. The Feather Duster will attach its foot and remain stable once placed into the aquarium.Feather Dusters are not often thought of as worms because what most people see is just the pretty feathery "crown" the worm inside uses to capture food. But there truly is a worm living inside the tan tubes they create, using sand and secretion to create as their home. The feathery crown is also called a "radiole" and is used as both gills and to bring food to its mouth which is at the center of that crown. Feather Dusters are very light sensitive and will quickly retract when approached or disturbed. Feather Dusters are known to "throw" their crowns which usually regrow within a few weeks.Feather Dusters are not often thought of as worms because what most people see is just the pretty feathery "crown" the worm uses to capture food. But there truly is a worm living inside the Feather Duster's tan tube. They create this tube by combining sand and a special secretion in order to protect their delicate body. The feathery crown, also called a "radiole", is an extention of the mouth of the worm and serves as both its gills and a way to capture food. Feather Dusters are very light sensitive and will quickly retract when approached or disturbed.Photo by Saltwaterfish.com member, Nicole Duncan.
