Starfish has fallen and it can't get up

[leafyseadragon]

Posted this on the sick fish forum, got no replies so I thought I'd try here.

I got an orange fromia star from LiveAquaria on Tuesday. I drip acclimated him for 5 hours and set him loose on top of some LR, right side up. His legs immediately started to curl, but they slowly went down on the rock.

The next morning, he was lying next to the pile of rocks. Upside down, with one leg attached to the rock. Can starfish trip?

Anyway, I think he tried getting up all day yesterday. This morning, he was still in the same spot, and bits of the tip on his leg have fallen off. I gently flicked him over right side up and onto a flat rock. All his legs are down now.

The tank is about 9 months old, haven't added anything since a peppermint shrimp since March. The SG is 1.023, NH3 and NO2 are both zero, NO3 is about 20 or so. There is plenty of LR in there for the starfish to feed on.

Is there something I've overlooked? Is there any hope for my starfish, or will he just waste away?

 

[Hypostomus]

I'm not sure, but I think your water conditions have to be perfect (i.e. no measurable Nitrates) for starfish. I also think most of the acclimation times I have read about are closer to 9 or 10 hours. If it was fine while acclimating and curled up immediately upon introduction to the tank, it sounds to me like it was shocked by an introduction to new water parameters. I believe necrosis (legs falling off) starts pretty soon after that in starfish.

Those are just thoughts based on my limited research, but HTH.

 

[XXFirefighter]

man, good luck !
I got my orange unknown name reef safe star @ a LFS, took him home. Floated him and then added tank water 4 times then plopped him in the tank and he's happy as ever !