Sandsifting Star dying?

[patman3d]

I acquired a sandsifting star with all the fish/liverock acquisition a few weeks ago.

All stats are in the normal range except for nitrates at around 20

the star looks like it has softened up and maybe even lost part of a leg/arm. Is it starving to death? and if it is, what can I do to help feed it?

It lived fine in the prior owner's hands...

Help Please?

 

[EELectric]

Is this a new tank because the star need something to feed off of and if it is not live sand you may be out of luck. HTH

 

[Hara]

inverts are very intolerant of high nitrates, that could also be playing a big part. YOu might want to put pieces of raw shrimp, like found at the supermarket, underneath the center disk of the star.

 

[patman3d]

Yes, it is a new tank.

Stupid question, but... will the starfish bite me?

 

[Hara]

no..put the meat on the sandbed, pick up the star and place it over the meaty item.

 

[FishFrik]

YOu might want to put pieces of raw shrimp, like found at the supermarket, underneath the center disk of the star.

Hara, i tried this but the star simply moved away from the piece of shrimp under it. Is there any other way to feed it?

 

[Hara]

Possibly the piece of meat was too large. If making the pieces smaller doesnt help, I really do not know of any other way.

 

[roka64]

Hara, would soaking in garlic work for inverts?

 

[Hara]

I have not noticed that it helps in any way.

 

[jasno999]

Raw shrimp is the way to go.

How deep is your sandbed?

Is this live sand?

Is there anywhere for the star to hide?

 

[tecwzrd]

Moved to sick fish/coral forum:

Getting the no3 closer to 5 ppm or less will help but don’t do massive (30+%) pwc to accomplish it since a wild ph/sg change will cause it more stress then the no3 being at 20 ppm. I’d do 15% pwc every other day with well aged (temp/ph/sg matching main and mixed with ph for 24+ hours) SW until you get your no3 at least <10 ppm.

Also keeping the raw shrimp piece about the size of your pinky fingernail should be more then large enough. You only want to feed once a week at most.

Since you have had it a couple of weeks now I’d not guess that it was improperly acclimated but did you slowly drip acclimate it for 2+ hours and not expose to air?

IMO your tank is too new (1 ½ months old) for any starfish since it really hasn’t fully stabilized yet. I hope it survives but IME if they have already started to loose a leg it will have a hard time getting better.

 

[austinsdad]

Seems like when they start "melting" away, they are starving and nothing to do at that point - but not get another. Consider nassarius snails for your sandbed instead IMO.

 

[patman3d]

poor poor starfish.

Got about a 2-3" sand bed. About 1/2 of that is crushed coral.

Originally the curshed coral was on the bottom and live sand on top of that, but when live rock was added, some of the crushed coral is now sitting on top.

I'll try the shrimp thing tonight and get water ready for a change tomorrow.

This morning one of it's other legs looked like a flattened pillow.

 

[seaham358]

tank too new and the CC will always work its way to the top. And IMO this will hurt the SS star. there sand sifting not CC sifting. Its on its way out and IMO nothing to do. If you get another IMO the same thing will happen. These stars need a large mature tank with no other competition for food.

 

[patman3d]

Thank you all for the replies and advice.

Last night was just a little too little and too late.

When I came home, the cleaner (skunk) shrimp was right on top of the starfish and a hermit crab right beside. It was sad really, with the starfish's legs all twisted, somewhat deflated, and slightly torn in places.

Originally, I did not purchase the star. It just came as a freebie with the liverock I got from malkore.

I do not plan on getting another sand sifter in the near future.

Now, do I leave it in there to feed the 'other' critters or should I take it out?

 

[FishFrik]

IMO, take it out. Even if the clean up crew is taking care of it, u don't want to overfeed the crew