Dead Maroon Linkia's

[Hara]

I lost both of my maroon Linkia's yesterday. They had both been very very active, on the rocks, the glass. They were never physically near each other. Yesterday, I noticed that one did not look right at all, on closer inspection, discovered him dead between two pieces of liverock, the odd thing being that the other linkia was only about an inch away, also dead. There was evidence of some "picking" but it could have been done after the fact. Kind of hard to say as I work all day and did notsee. I do know that I have never seen any tank mate act hostile toward them before.

 

[fishfreek]

As with any tragidey like this please give us water conditions as of as now. Items of interest will obviously be Ammoina, Nitrite, Nitrate, PH, Alk, Cal, Temp, SG

Only thing I know of linka stars is that they are extremly sensitive to salinity changes.

 

[Bang Guy]

To emphasize what Fishfreek said, even a large water change can bring on Osmotic Shock.

 

[Alf]

In addition to Bang Guy and FF. They are also effected by temp. swings. How long have you had these?

 

[Hara]

As with any tragidey like this please give us water conditions as of as now. Items of interest will obviously be Ammoina, Nitrite, Nitrate, PH, Alk, Cal, Temp, SG

Only thing I know of linka stars is that they are extremly sensitive to salinity changes.

Ammonia=0
Nitrite=0
Nitrate=5
ph=8.2
Alk=130
cal=never can get a reading from my test kit
Temp=constant 80
sg=1.023

I would have had them one week today.

 

[Alf]

I would have had them one week today

Ok How did you acclimate them and how long? The Linka like most star fish need to be acclimated very slowly like over atleast 4 hours. I acclimated mine over night with a drip system. It's fat and healty now. Also take into account that it could have not been acclimated properly from where you got it. If this was the case then the damage was already done before you got it. HTH[/quote]

 

[Hara]

I followed their acclimation instructions and even added time to it.

 

[Alf]

followed their acclimation instructions and even added time to it.

Well I guess as longs as your comfortable with that I will have to be too. Just thought I would try and help. :?

 

[reefrunner69]

I gotta agree with most of the other posters in this thread, it is an acclimation issue. The instructions for most online retailers, do not account for animals that are extremely sensitive to any changes in environement...and anything less than 4-6 hours is a sudden change. In most cases changes should be made over days, in the situation of Linckia stars, at least over 6-8 hours, prefferebly more.

 

[Hara]

ok, but if it was a matter of aclimatizing, why did they do great for a week and then sudden death?

oh, and then there is the weird thing that they were virtually on top of each other instead of at opposite ends of the tank...they make a suicide
pact..?
stuff is just strange

 

[reefrunner69]

Hmmm, the best way I can describe it, is to give an example of why humans get colds during the winter. Cold weather is not the cause of a cold, but the incidence arises in the winter for a couple of reasons...1) There is usually a sudden drop in temp, more than about 10-15 degrees and the immune system is getting stressed...2) We spend alot of time indoors, with others and more germs are passed back and forth.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and that analogy could be totally wrong.

So the acclimation isn't exactly what kills it, it's immune system is compromised by the acclimation. It is in a closed system whih is chock full of bacterias and viruses, etc...that it would normally fight off...but because it is weak it succumbs. It more than likely died of a bacterial infection, brought on by an accelerated acclimation.

 

[Alf]

ok, but if it was a matter of aclimatizing, why did they do great for a week and then sudden death?

With most Marine animals the internal problems that impropper acclimation caused will not always happen over night, the Linkia is no exception. They die a slow death.