sea star dismembered

[dolphineducator]

Hay all, When I came into work today I found my nubby sea star with it's arms all over the place. It originally had four and now they are all separated and seem to still be alive. Does anyone have an idea why this happened? Do you think that all the arms will regenerate? Thanks, Lia

 

[Brad]

Given strange water conditions, I think a starfish can literally fall apart. Is there anything in the tank that could have attacked him?

Their powers of regeneration are quite impressive, but I doubt your starfish did this voluntarily.

 

[dolphineducator]

No he is the biggest thing in the tank. It looks like he did it on his own accord. The water quality is fine. It's a fifty gallon tank. He is about a week old from the LFS.

 

[quarryshark]

One of my sand sifter recently did that. I attributed it to old age. All my other stars and inverts are fine, no water quality issues and no one picked at him.
He was in there almost a year.

 

[dolphineducator]

alive?

Did he make it? The legs all still seem to be alive. They are in differnt places in the tank this morning. I don't know how old the star was but it was very large.