Common name: Social Feather Duster

General information

The Social Feather Duster, scientifically known as Bispira tricyclia, is a fascinating marine invertebrate that belongs to the family Sabellidae. These sedentary polychaete worms are known for their beautiful, fan-like crowns, which are actually highly modified tentacles used for feeding and respiration. The crowns come in a variety of colors, often displaying bands of brown, white, and sometimes hints of yellow or orange.

Social Feather Dusters are often found in groups, hence the name 'Social', and can create a stunning visual display in the aquarium. They are filter feeders, capturing plankton and other small particles from the water column with their feather-like radioles.

Care

Keeping Bispira tricyclia in a reef aquarium requires stable water conditions and moderate to high water flow to deliver food to their extended crowns. They are not aggressive and can be kept with a wide variety of other reef-safe species. It's important to ensure that they have access to fine particulate food, which can be supplemented with liquid plankton or other specialized feeds designed for filter feeders.

Reproduction

Social Feather Dusters are capable of both sexual and asexual reproduction. In the aquarium, they often reproduce by budding, where a new individual grows from the base of an existing worm. This can lead to the formation of dense clusters, giving them their alternative name, 'Cluster Duster'.

Symbiosis

While Bispira tricyclia does not have the same type of symbiotic relationships as clownfish with anemones, they do contribute to the overall health of the reef ecosystem by filtering water and can coexist with a variety of other invertebrates and corals.

Habitat

In the wild, Social Feather Dusters are typically found in shallow waters attached to hard substrates such as rocks or coral rubble. They prefer areas with strong currents which facilitate their filter-feeding lifestyle.