Whos nipping at my coco starfish

[Jayhawker518]

Ok so i bought a chocolate chip starfish a while ago and recently it looks like someone is nipping at his things that point out in the front center. Theres like small white chunks missing like someone bit him.

I have 2 red firefish, a false percula clown and a bicolored blennie.
Im thinking the blennie maybe?

I also have 2 peppermint shrimp, a yellow coral banded shrimp, a serpent sea star and a hermit and some clean up crews guys.

Any ideas? Im thinking about moving him to my QT tank for a while but im not sure. HELP! Thanks in advance

 

[tecwzrd]

IMO it's not the fish but the coral banded shrimp. My CBS is always fighting with my Sea Star when it comes near it's cave but hasn't done too much damage.

If you have a cycled QT I would move it over till it has time to heal some.

 

[melosu58]

A long time ago I had one do the same and my LFS said it was a bacterial infection. That`s just what he said so I dont know if it`s true or not but it might be worth checking into. I`ll see if I can round up something.

I did read on another site that someone said that his hermit crab chewed off all the chocolate chips off his CC star. That might be a possibility. Here is the article. I`m still searching for the bacterial infection. But the hermit crab thing might be true.

http://www.fishlore.com/Profiles_Chocolate_Chip_Starfish.htm

 

[Innovator]

To be honest it could be any one of the hermits, perc, or cbs. If you move the star, fill the qt with your tank water to avoid reacclimation. Bacterial infections will look like the animal is wasting away, giving the animal a "cheesy" look; however, bacterial infections can result from injuries such as bites.

 

[Jayhawker518]

It was really wierd I noticed it yesterday and its just the 5 points on the center of the star. I thought it was the coral banded too but he usually hangs out in his cave. So with that said I have no idea. Ill try to move him to the QT for a bit. Let me know about any disease or infections.

Thanks