About Indian Feather Duster Worm
Indian feather duster — graceful crown of feathery radioles that retract instantly when startled. Filter-feeds on phytoplankton and fine particulate food. Best in mature systems where the tank itself produces enough food.
Sabellastarte spectabilis is a species of benthic marine polychaete worm in the Sabellidae family. It is commonly known as the feather duster worm, feather duster or fan worm. It is native to tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific but has spread to other parts of the world. It is popular in aquariums because of its distinctive appearance and its ability to remove organic particles and improve water quality.
Notes from the editors
What it looks like. Polychaete worm living inside a parchment-like tube, emerging with a graceful crown of feathery radioles in shades of cream, brown, and red. The crown retracts instantly when startled.
In your tank. Filter-feeds on phytoplankton and fine particulate food. Reef-safe and peaceful. Best in mature systems where the tank itself produces enough food via plankton blooms or supplemental feeding.
Care notes. Can shed its crown under stress (poor water quality, sudden parameter shifts) and regrow it over weeks. Loss of crown is a warning sign, not necessarily fatal.
Sourcing and feeding. Wild-collected from Indo-Pacific reefs ($15–30). Filter feeder — phytoplankton, fine particulate foods, occasional supplemental amino acids.
Care info is a starting point, not a guarantee. Individual specimens, water chemistry, and tankmate dynamics vary. Verify against multiple sources and adjust to what you observe. See our terms & disclaimers.
Related invertebrates
Sources & attribution
- Taxonomy and accepted name from the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS AphiaID 429077).
- Description content adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Photo: (c) Alberto Alcalá, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY (via iNaturalist or Wikimedia Commons).