Starfish Injury? Very strange to me at least...

[davebailey46]

I bought this starfish from Liveaquaria:
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=580
I spent 3 hours last night acclimating him. I used a turkey baster with a 1/2 oz of water every five to ten minute from my main and added to his bag...and then of course transferring him into a container. I NEVER exposed any of him to oxygen even during tank introduction. I put him in after lights out and watched him for almost an hour... then off to bed. I get home from work today and his stomch has exploded!
Was it eposer to oxygen in transit to me? Was he injured by something?
Note my tank currently has:
O clown
Coral Beauty
Bangaii Cardinal
Neon Goby
Cleaner shrimp
Snails and inverts
Leather coral
Star polyps
Hammer coral
BTA
Not a very aggresive tank IMO
Will he recover (From the look of it I doubt it)

 

[accorddude]

Same thing happened to a star that I had for a wk. Mine looked like that then slowley disolved. And my clown ate part of him after he started to disolve. Its from not acclimating long enough is what I gather.

 

[Raker333]

sure looks like a nice on though (minus the exploded part)

 

[davebailey46]

Well its not a predator thing...There are more "explosions" on him now

 

[Brenden]

sounds like necrosis.

 

[pkremer]

That's too bad! That starfish is beautiful!

At least you can get the money you paid for him back, although I don't know about shipping...Hopefully if you try again, you'll get one that'll stay alive!

 

[hackteck]

whats necrosis?

 

[pkremer]

Necrosis = Death of cells or tissues through injury or disease, especially in a localized area of the body.

 

[hackteck]

thanks for the info

 

[davebailey46]

It has spread so fast! I believe he is about to die. There are at least 3 different outbreaks and one leg is almost detached. Sucks...I really hope it wasn't something I overlooked I put so much time and research into its well being

 

[hackteck]

did you remove him from the tank?

 

[davebailey46]

This morning 2 legs have fallen off...He will be removed shortly. I was hoping against hope he would survive

 

[ellisz]

Starfish are poor shippers for the most part. They don't handle condition changes very well either. I had a star do the same thing and I got it at the LFS. Depending on the salinity, etc of the bag water, 3 hours might not have been enough. The difference in your water vs the bag water should be the determining factor on the length of the acclimation.

At least Liveaquaria as a guarantee. I want to try a star again but I have not yet.

 

[davebailey46]

Next time I challenge a star I will check the shipping/LFS water very carefully and adjust. Thanks ellisz....
I still hope it wasn't me...But it sure seems to be...
Damn you evil world

 

[ellisz]

Might not have been you. The last one I tried, I got before the LFS could acclimate so I took it straight from their shipper. I drip acclimated and the starfish lived for about a month. I thought I was good. Then it moved behind some rock work and I never saw it again

Sometimes it is out of your control.