Sand sifting starfish and green star polyp

[mr_X]

"Dirt" all over the coral would indicate to me that there isn't enough flow in the tank. The sand sifter is already dead....you just don't know it yet. You cannot keep one in your small tank for the reasons stated above.
You don't need a 250 watt halide to keep GSP, but it wouldn't hurt. I have GSP doing very well on the sand bed of a 150 gallon tank.

 

[Piercy87]

Cheers or all the response. I want to say the gsp has brown stuff on it but it Doesn't look like brown jelly it's more like the purple is turning brown rather than anything on it. I will try to move it higher and see how that goes. The only thing I don't understand is when i put it in the tank it was fully open for 2 months and has grown on the surrounding rocks An the tentacles doubled In length. Then When it started to close the part that had the most flow closed up first so I thought it was a case of to much flow. It started also when I put my torch coral In. I am certain it hasn't been stung because the torch is about 8 inches away. Is it possible that it just Doesn't like sharing the Same tank? Or maybe its because the shrimps and crabs walk over it and my angel picks from it? A couple polyps have already bleached and turned white? Does this mean its already doomed or are they forgiving and recover? I do have a powerhead but turned it off as I thought there was too much flow in the tank.
Another possibility is I do larger water changes. I try to match the water exactly, as I know that consistency is v-important but can never get the mixed waters ph the same so the ph drops a little every water change. The last water change I done the urchin freaked out and started smoking but is fine now. I might do smaller water changes but more often. I'm really pissed off with the shop I got the stars from as I got the tank from him so he knew exactly what size my tank was an knew I was a beginner so he used my amateurness as a weakness to make more money known he was sending that star to his inevitable doom. At least I can rescue one to a better home. Any takers in te Devon area? By the way the fish shop is called something fishy In Newton abbot so don't shop there. He also charged me a £1 for a water test after I spent £800 there. I will make it my mission to open the best marine shop in the uk right next door to his with a free advice/help desk that does free water tests.

 

[h8z2luze]

As said above your lights are probably losing their potency. Also stuff can survive on minimal sources for awhile but over time its going to go downhill. Might have just taken this long for your GSP to finally start giving up. If I were you id try to get some better lighting asap. Atleast T5HO.

 

[CleverBs]

Dont give up on it for turning brown, It could be algae growing on the surface, not saying thats a good thing but its not doomed yet. Go get a T5HO with reflectors. It should help alot.

 

[Piercy87]

Ok I have just moved it up by 4 inches And turned on the powerhead. The clowns have gone mad like a puppy with a ball and won't stop swimming in the current now. If it Doesn't open up I will go get some stronger lighting. It's all built into a hood so not sure how to change it. Any ideas?

 

[h8z2luze]

You would probably have to take the top off and hang a fixture. Or get one with legs. what powerhead do you have in there?

 

[mr_X]

Your angel picking at it could be the entire problem. Crabs won't mess with it unless it's dying. If you had it for 2 months and it grew in size and stayed colorful, I would not look to the lighting.

 

[h8z2luze]

Your angel picking at it could be the entire problem. Crabs won't mess with it unless it's dying. If you had it for 2 months and it grew in size and stayed colorful, I would not look to the lighting.

i didnt see he said the angel was picking at it. That would for sure make it close up.

 

[Piercy87]

It's a hydro koralia 900. 900 litres per hour. I just turned it on for first time in months and a medium sized baby shrimp swam out then got eaten in about 2 second by my royal gramma.

 

[aadair22]

It's a hydro koralia 900. 900 litres per hour. I just turned it on for first time in months and a medium sized baby shrimp swam out then got eaten in about 2 second by my royal gramma.

Might have been an amphipod

 

[mr_X]

I would leave the power head on 24/7/365.

 

[Piercy87]

Might have been an amphipod

Yeah just googled a pic and it was one of them. I wonder where it came from

 

[aadair22]

Yeah just googled a pic and it was one of them. I wonder where it came from

Probably live rock or chaeto