clowns and chocolate chip starfish Please help!

[jhunter]

First:
Tank is a 30 gallon with live sand, water parameters are normal, inhabits 2 chocolate chip star fish, 2 clowns, 1 royal gramma, and a 2 cleaner crabs. The fish were quarantined for about a week and a half in a hospital tank before moving to the new tank (Fully cycled).

We have had 2 clown fish for about a week now and we noticed that they appear to have ick in the morning, but nothing at night. Is it just salt, or is it ick? They are swimming fine, responsive, eating is normal.

The other problem:
We had one of the starfish for about 3 months before we got a new one last week. The day we put the new one in the tank, they both started projecting thin, white, thread like strands from their bodies. We've never seen this before. They have been hanging out by each other, they are both eating and moving regularly. We came home today though to find the new starfish knob side up with his arms curled upward. Two of his spikey knobs had been taken off, and he has about 12 bubble like sacs popping off his body (mostly on the arms). He hasn't moved, but sometimes they'll go for days with out moving. The old one is fine. He/She is off on the other side of the tank. I don't think the old one attacked because he probably would have stayed to finish him off. The other thing is the old one has rounded knobs, while the new one has spikes on the end of some of his knobs. Please help!

 

[quarryshark]

Well, the clowns probably have ich. It is most visible in the AM after they have been sleeping. New fish should be qt'ed for 4 weeks to be sure. I would move them to qt and treat with hypo. Here is the proceedure.
http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/hyposalinity.html
Not sure about the star, how was the acclimation conducted? Was he eating what you offered? Do you target feed them?

 

[jhunter]

the new starfish was acclimated for about an hour or so before introducing him into the tank. He's been acting fine. I know he's not dead, because he's moving some of his tentacles. He roams around the tank and eats algae. About once every 3 days I feed each star a nice hunk of krill, and they go nuts for it. Only when they are on the glass. I know they are hungry because they go to the top of the water line, and hang half way off. Easy access for food I guess. He's been eating normally though.

I'm still iffy on the clowns. Like, in the morning, there are definate white spots, but a few hours later, there's nothing. we've stared and stared at them. Examining for anything, but we can't find a thing in the PM. It's almost like it falls off.

 

[quarryshark]

Wait until lights are out for a few hours. Then turn them on and check. I'll bet they will be there. Like I said, they are more visible at night and early morning.
Parasites also go through a life cycle. I may appear that they disappear, only to come back in greater numbers in a few days. Its when they come back in greater and greater numbers, that they overwhelm the fish.