fromia milleporella (red starfish) worries

[futh29]

This past friday I went to petco and saw this red sea star and seeing as it was only $9.99 I figured I would buy it. Well it has barely spent anytime in the actual live sand even when I pick him up and lay him there he just ends up moving to the same exact spot. He always moves to the edge of the water line with part of his body curled so his mouth is almost at the water line. This didn't worry me too much until today when I noticed a weird bubble covering his mouth, its like a pinkish bubble formed over it and the edges of his legs are curled. I have no idea if anything is wrong with him. I've tried to do some research on him but I can't seem to find any really good data. I've tested my water (with strips i know not very accurate) and everything seems to be in the normal range. Also, he has always been very active (moving everywhere on the tank walls, even near the heater!) until this thing formed. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[Wendy8184]

sorry no... but as i have the same kind of red star fish i will be interested to see what the experts have to say. Mine also hangs out at the top of the water line but i thought that was pretty common. I hardly ever see mine on the sand or rocks.

 

[futh29]

as do I, the bubbles keep getting bigger and hes stayed in the same place. Now this could be completely wrong, but I read somewhere that some starfish release eggs through their mouth, I really don't think that's what it is but I'm trying to think optimistically here!

 

[Wendy8184]

could be... that would be something! Let us know, good or bad. Will keep following...

 

[Kimandy]

Can anyone please tell me why I have green weed growing in my marine tank. It has successfully taken over some of my corals. I have tried picking it off but it keeps coming back more. Thanks

 

[futh29]

Can anyone please tell me why I have green weed growing in my marine tank. It has successfully taken over some of my corals. I have tried picking it off but it keeps coming back more. Thanks

yeah try not to hijack peoples posts.



anyways... yesterday he came down to the sand for a bit then just climbed all the way back up and looked perfectly healthy! but then this morning I noticed more pink ooze is coming out of his mouth again. I really have no idea whats my starfish is doing.

 

[Wendy8184]

how are water parameters...they dont like high nitrates. Also when mine died it started feeling like goo. The pink ooze doesnt sound good. Hopefully it will be okay. LIke i said before mine hangs out at the waterline...I was looking at it this morning because it was right up front, and its mouth is very small. I really had to look hard to even see it. Of course my starfish is only about 1in. across.

Kimandy... you might want to test water quality and maybe get some snails and crabs to help with your algae situation.

 

[mr_X]

I think that star, as most of the Fromia stars, are doomed once they leave the ocean. Poor collection practices, being very sensitive to synthetic salts and/or poor acclimation equals a short life in closed systems for these guys. I have read that the curled legs indicates it's been exposed to air (doomed). Not sure if there's truth in that, but I've imported and sold quite a few of these, due to their beauty, and I haven't heard of many instances where they've lived.

 

[Wendy8184]

Doug, what is the life span of one of these stars? I just bought mine a couple of weeks ago, and it seems fine at the moment. I did not know that there was a problem with harvesting them.... had I known this i might not have got it. The reason I'm questioning is because I have a thorny orange starfish and i've had it about 5 or 6 mo. How are they as far as life spans? I really like it and it would be a shame to lose.

 

[mr_X]

I haven't the faintest idea. I knew a guy that had a blue and red one in his tank for 5 years. That's all the data I have except for the mortality rate of the ones I sold.

 

[futh29]

just an update: my star fish is still alive I know that much! hes moving around a bit and still sticks to the glass. Looking a little darker than before but still alive, hopefully it will just take some time to get back to normal!

 

[mr_X]

What is it eating?

 

[futh29]

not much from what I can see, hes been moving around a lot more tonight, and I'm never really sure when he is eating