New Linkia Star

[JM]

Well i picked up this guy 2 days ago and he seems to be doing ok. (i've heard that the first couple days are the most crucial for these guys because they have trouble transporting and acclimating) He didn't move much till today, just stayed on one rock but traveled from the back to the front to get out of the light during the day. Now in about the past 2 hours he's gone from the rock that he was on in the picture all the way to the top of the glass in the back of the tank. I know melosu has a couple of these guys so i figured this would be the best place to ask this question. He is all the way at the top of the glass at the water line, and i know they can't be exposed to air. Will it sence that it is at the surface and stop moving or will it expose itself to the air and die. Right now it is positioned in a way so that the arms that are at the surface are stretched flat to be along the water line and submerged, but it looks like there is a small portion of the arms that are slightly breaking the surface of the water. Is it normal for them to do this much exploring or stay that close to the surface. Here's a pic of the new guy from earlier today. Thanx in advance for any tips or advice.

[Innovator]

ime Linckias are most sensitive to salinity adjustments and altered water parameters and the basis of their acclimation should provide for such influx. Exposure to air is not indicative of their early demise.

[chase33]

nice looking star if I do say so myself.

[MT79]

Originally Posted by Innovator

ime Linckias are most sensitive to salinity adjustments and altered water parameters and the basis of their acclimation should provide for such influx. Exposure to air is not indicative of their early demise.

I absolutely agree. Proper acclimation along w/ stable water parameters are most important. My blue link would commonly raise an arm almost completly out of the water, exposing it to air w/ no problems.
Keeping them properly fed long term is a long shot for many aquarists IMO. I wasn't able to keep my blue link happy longterm w/ over 85-95lbs LR in the main tank, along w/ ~25-30lb in a fuge. It slowly shrank over two years or so. Link's, IMO, are best left in the wild at this point. JMO
I wish you the best of luck, they are beautiful animals.

[melosu58]

I have read many places that they should not be exposed to air. Whether they are right I have no scienctific proof but I choose to err on the safe side. I do not doubt what James said about salinity and water parameters but until I see some proof that air contact is not detrimental than I `m going to play it safe. BTW the air contact needs to be at the mouth and stomach area to be detrimental. Mine will come to the surface and bend its legs back to the surface but the mouth or whatever the scientific name never comes out into the air. I have two of them my blue linknia being several yrs old now. This is solely my opinion.