Poor Brittle Star didn't have a chance

[karlseith]

I put a medium sized Brittle Star in my 30g last week. Every day that passed he was missing another leg. Sunday I covered him with a sea shell only to come back 5 min. later to see the shell knocked off and his...ehem...insides no longer inside.

The tanks is about 4 months old with 4 condis, 1 maroon and 1 Clarkii clown, 1 fiji blue and 1 yellow fin damsel, and an algae blenny. The poor guy was just pecked to death and wasn't even eaten. Who is the culprit and what would the reason be for such vicious behavior???

Thanks,
Karl

 

[snapcrackler]

Do you have any crabs in there?

 

[ReefLady]

How did you acclimate the Brittle star to your tank?

 

[reefrunner69]

More than likely it was a bacterial infection that did it in, if not I would look towards a mantis or rock crab before the intended residents of your tank.

 

[karlseith]

I do not have any crabs that I know of/added/can see in the tank. He was acclimated over about an hour period. Half hour temp. adjustment, then several water additions to the bag over the next half hour.

 

[ReefLady]

He was acclimated over about an hour period. Half hour temp. adjustment, then several water additions to the bag over the next half hour.

IMO, that's the culprit. Stars are extremely sensitive to rapid changes in salinity, temp, & pH. Depending on how different your tank param's are from the LFS's water - it could take a minimum of 3 - 6 hours to properly acclimate the star.

Typical symptoms of a too-rapid acclimation process are - legs falling or 'dropping' of, chunks of the star missing, and a basic overall look as if it is 'disintegrating' or falling apart.

Sorry!!

 

[reefrunner69]

Quote:
He was acclimated over about an hour period. Half hour temp. adjustment, then several water additions to the bag over the next half hour.


IMO, that's the culprit. Stars are extremely sensitive to rapid changes in salinity, temp, & pH. Depending on how different your tank param's are from the LFS's water - it could take a minimum of 3 - 6 hours to properly acclimate the star.

Agreed

 

[karlseith]

:censor: !!!!!!! I should have known better.

Thanks for your help,
Karl

 

[ReefLady]

Don't be too hard on yourself. It's a common mistake -- and often, it's not something you can prevent. If the LFS doesn't acclimate cautiously, you may end up with the same result, even if you do it perfectly.

Sorry for your loss!

 

[ellisz]

I took my dog puffer in to the LFS for trade and had about 3-4 gallons of my tank water in the bucket. They added a container full of their water to my bucket and then dumped all the water into their tank. I thought this was crazy ...

 

[reefrunner69]

They added a container full of their water to my bucket and then dumped all the water into their tank. I thought this was crazy ...

I think it is, but I worked at an LFS that temp acclimated fish only. Float the bags for an hour then use a net to remove the fish from the bag and put it in the tanks

 

[ellisz]

They dumped him in with the water even. It was tough to leave a fish you have had for 9 years. I kind of regret it but he was too big and we were limited with the direction we could go with him in the bigger tank.

He did seem happy when I left though. He used to sulk in the corner when I did water changes