Starfish problems

[accorddude]

So today when I got back to my apt from class I see my Starfish has some chunks taken out of him. The tip of one of his legs is gone, another leg has a big gash in it and the top of him like the center seems to have a wound too. I am wondering if these wounds could be caused by my urchine? Or if it could have been something else. I have seen my clown take a nibble at him sometimes too. I think he will survive but he looks bad.

 

[robertfah]

What other fish/inverts are in your tank? Any new members to the tank? Is the starfish new to the tank? What kind of starfish is it?

The starfish leg(s) will grow back in time and the gash should heal provided it's not too deep and showing flesh.

am wondering if these wounds could be caused by my urchine?

A Starfish will try to eat sea urchins b/c it's a natural food source for them. I just came back from my LFS and I watched a starfish grab a hermit crab in about a 2" shell and eat him (of course he was still snacking on him today when I went back there, lol).

 

[accorddude]

Fromia milleporella star its still real tiny less than 2 in. My urchine is biger than my star. I have a BTA, a Clownw, and the Urchine and today the Cleaner shrimp got added but that was after the damage was already done. Oh and the gash is showing flesh. The star is still moving about though and using all of his legs to move.

 

[MT79]

It sounds like it could be tissue necrosis due to improper acclimation, poor water quality or a sudden shift in a parameter such as PH or temperature.
How long have you had the starfish? If you got it recently how did you acclimate it? What are your water parameters-Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, Ca/Alk, PH, Temperature, SG/Salinity?

 

[Brenden]

Sounds like necrosis to me also. I started typing but looked at previous post and MT79 already asked everything I typed. MT79 is dead on and has probably covered your problem. (waiting for your water parameters)

 

[accorddude]

The ph and all levels are at 0.
We acclimated him for 30 min in his bag. And then my roommate just droped him in. I adivised otherwise. But he was like the acclimation stuff is not true. So I think your right about what the problem is now the question is can he live what can I do now to correct the problem.

 

[demodiki]

I do not believe that the starfish will survive.

Acclimation is paramount with inverts...especially starfish. If I were you, I would pull the plug on the poor guy.

 

[accorddude]

Well Its gone. Next time im giong to be much more carefull with acclimation. What is the proper way to acclimate him? All I have is a 10 gal tank. So what do I need to do in the future?

 

[Brenden]

I drip acclimate my stars for at least of 3 hrs. If you have a large salinity difference even longer. Acclimation was definetly your problem.

 

[accorddude]

I dont know why tho. Because we had the water tested that day by the store too and it was great. The selenity was great. But it might have been dif from the stores. This just sucks. We had him only for a week. Oh well we shall know for next time.

 

[Brenden]

It does not matter that the water tested OK. Much more to water parameters than salinity, NO3, NO2, NH3, Alk, PH, etc. Not saying your water was bad, it was just different than what the star was in. They handle changes in water very poorly and need to be acclimated VERY slowly.

 

[accorddude]

So when I get another drip acclimate for several hours and it should be ok.

Today I added a shirmp to the tank and let him have a few hours to acclimate. He is fine so far.

The next thing on the list is a mushroom. I hope neither of these will have the same fate. Slow drip next time.

 

[Brenden]

So when I get another drip acclimate for several hours and it should be ok.

Sounds good.

The next thing on the list is a mushroom.

A mushroom will handle the change much better than a star. Drip acclimation is still the best process though. Good luck.