Whats eating my starfish's legs?????

Bladeslinger · 01/29/2009, 12:02 AM

I have a 48 gallon euro tank. been set up for a year. Have flame angel, blue hippo tang, false percula clown, small blue chromis, and a bicolor blenny. Livr rock and some corals in the tank... he is my problem.... i have 2 sand sifting starfish...and every time i look at them i see more and more of their legs missing. its like somethin is eating its legs. i haven't seen any of my fish even show n e interest at them so i have no idea what could be happening... n e ideas??? do starfish get diseases that eat at their legs or something??? I'm clueless...

VacavilleFC3S · 01/29/2009, 12:36 AM

pretty much all safe starfish die after a year or so in captivity because nobody actually knows what they eat, as time goes on they just start falling apart

Flipper62 · 01/29/2009, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bladeslinger
I have a 48 gallon euro tank. been set up for a year. Have flame angel, blue hippo tang, false percula clown, small blue chromis, and a bicolor blenny. Livr rock and some corals in the tank... he is my problem.... i have 2 sand sifting starfish...and every time i look at them i see more and more of their legs missing. its like somethin is eating its legs. i haven't seen any of my fish even show n e interest at them so i have no idea what could be happening... n e ideas??? do starfish get diseases that eat at their legs or something??? I'm clueless...

Most starsfish dont survive in small tanks. There is not enough micro CRAP on the rocks to let then servive.

Whys · 01/29/2009, 01:02 AM

Sand sifting stars eat the benthic organisms in your sandbed. Many hobbyists either don't or can't keep them for this reason, as they will eventually deplete the populations in the sandbed and starve. I'm not familiar with the physical effects of a starving starfish, but given that you have two in a 48 gallon, I assume this is the problem you are having. If so, your sandbed's ability to support the biological cycle has been compromised.

I'm certainly no expert on the matter, but I would remove the starfish and attempt to "reseed" the sandbed by either adding some additional liverock, or a bit of live sand from an established tank.

You'll want to keep an eye on your levels in the mean time.

If you like stars, I recommend a brittle-star. They mostly eat detritus.

NirvanaFan · 01/29/2009, 06:35 AM

Dropping legs is a sign of starvation. I wouldn't suggest any starfish in a 46g. They can regrow them if they have the food. I'm guessing, and this is totally a guess, that they drop them so they don't have to use nutrients on them, so they don't have to "feed" as much, if that makes sense.

bimmer01 · 01/29/2009, 07:31 AM

Bladeslinger, I feel your pain. I have a red star fish that i'm noticing one of the legs are falling off.

an411 · 01/29/2009, 07:56 AM

Is there anything that you can feed them

BradsOcean · 01/29/2009, 08:32 AM

you don't have a harlequin shrimp, do you?

Bladeslinger · 01/29/2009, 11:59 AM

thanks for the replies guys... I can always move them to my friend's 90 gallon w/ damsels n puffer. But I was planning on adding more live rock anyways. is there any food that I can supplement the tank with for them??

NCMBM · 01/29/2009, 12:59 PM

what kind of starfish are we discussing? I have serpent stars and I give them a little shrimp when I feed the anemone. They are easy to feed IMO. I know nothing about decorative stars, just the serpent. Mine stay in the shadows unless theres food in the water.

goby4 · 01/29/2009, 01:16 PM

i also had a red star fish that also lost it legs one at a time and lived for about 3 weeks after losing it's legs, and then one moring i found it on on some of the live rock with what looked green and white mold all over it, i took it out of the tank after i saw that growing on it, dose anyone know what could have happen to it?

bimmer01 · 01/29/2009, 01:28 PM

Holy crap, thats not a good sign for my red starfish.

Luckily, mine is still alive. Its in the far back.

Whys · 01/29/2009, 02:02 PM

Brittle and serpent stars will both eat detritus and meat, but serpent stars can have other issues with eating small fish. The brown brittle is the safest star you can have in a reef. I have one in my 37g and it is quite happy. I don't have any large fish to feed tho, so I occasionally have to hand feed the brittle star.

Brittles can really move, almost like an octopus. They're cool and creepy.

jgln · 01/29/2009, 02:47 PM

I have no proof of this but I believe they may eat them themselves in a last ditch to save themselves from starvation. I have noticed this too when (bristlestars) are not around (hiding too much) that sometimes their legs dissapear. Once they come out and I can feed them they grow back.
On a side note, I saw one I thought died years ago about two months ago and have not seen him since. Must be doing ok on his own.

greenbean36191 · 01/29/2009, 04:11 PM

Quote:

I have no proof of this but I believe they may eat them themselves in a last ditch to save themselves from starvation.

Yes, this is what happens. With true stars though (which are only very distantly related to brittle and serpent stars), by the time the legs start falling off due to starvation the damage is already almost always too severe to recover from.

xr4kw · 01/30/2009, 02:06 AM

So does anybody know of a food supplement for sand sifters? I have one in my 72...so far so good but it's only been a couple of months.

reeferstace · 01/30/2009, 08:56 AM

IMO, sea stars (Asteroidea) should be left in the ocean...I have never heard of any long term success in keeping them in aquaria.

Brittle stars (Ophiuroidea) seem to do much better in captivity.

Bladeslinger · 01/30/2009, 08:58 AM

mine are sand sifting stars.... does it make a difference?? n e thing to feed them?

jrrobinson · 06/28/2016, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VacavilleFC3S

pretty much all safe starfish die after a year or so in captivity because nobody actually knows what they eat, as time goes on they just start falling apart

So sad but true. I have been reading about them and it is suggested you have at least 4 inches of sand for them. And still they will not live long. and when starting to die the legs will start falling off. I have one also, but did not know until after I bought it that this would happen.

gunther13mt · 06/28/2016, 03:15 PM

ive had my sand shifting star for almost 5 months now my tank is 7 months old. he is a great part of my clean up crew I also have a 5in DSB but he does great in fact he has growin quite a bit since I added him to the tank.

01/29/2009, 12:02 AM	#1
Bladeslinger Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Boynton Beach, FL Posts: 65	Whats eating my starfish's legs????? I have a 48 gallon euro tank. been set up for a year. Have flame angel, blue hippo tang, false percula clown, small blue chromis, and a bicolor blenny. Livr rock and some corals in the tank... he is my problem.... i have 2 sand sifting starfish...and every time i look at them i see more and more of their legs missing. its like somethin is eating its legs. i haven't seen any of my fish even show n e interest at them so i have no idea what could be happening... n e ideas??? do starfish get diseases that eat at their legs or something??? I'm clueless...

01/29/2009, 08:32 AM	#8
BradsOcean Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: The Island Posts: 1,173	you don't have a harlequin shrimp, do you? __________________ the low cost of 3 Ramen meals a day is feeding my zoa addiction Current Tank Info: had a few small reefs in the past, researching for my future 125 :)

01/29/2009, 02:47 PM	#14
jgln Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Pedricktown,NJ Posts: 555	I have no proof of this but I believe they may eat them themselves in a last ditch to save themselves from starvation. I have noticed this too when (bristlestars) are not around (hiding too much) that sometimes their legs dissapear. Once they come out and I can feed them they grow back. On a side note, I saw one I thought died years ago about two months ago and have not seen him since. Must be doing ok on his own. __________________ Jim Current Tank Info: 125g reef with 30g sump/fuge

01/30/2009, 08:56 AM	#17
reeferstace I'm a little people Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Over Yonder Posts: 1,392	IMO, sea stars (Asteroidea) should be left in the ocean...I have never heard of any long term success in keeping them in aquaria. Brittle stars (Ophiuroidea) seem to do much better in captivity. __________________ Stacy

06/28/2016, 03:15 PM	#20
gunther13mt Starting to help others Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: South Dakota Posts: 137	ive had my sand shifting star for almost 5 months now my tank is 7 months old. he is a great part of my clean up crew I also have a 5in DSB but he does great in fact he has growin quite a bit since I added him to the tank. __________________ 55 gal, salinity 1.024, temp 80.4-81, 2 True Clown, 1 Watchman Goby, 1 Engineer goby, 2 cleaner shrimp, 3 astrea snails, 3 nassruai snails, 4 emerald crabs,1 sand shifting sea star, 1 condy, 1 fire fi

01/29/2009, 12:36 AM	#2
VacavilleFC3S Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Vacaville California Posts: 2,613	pretty much all safe starfish die after a year or so in captivity because nobody actually knows what they eat, as time goes on they just start falling apart

01/29/2009, 01:02 AM	#4
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	Sand sifting stars eat the benthic organisms in your sandbed. Many hobbyists either don't or can't keep them for this reason, as they will eventually deplete the populations in the sandbed and starve. I'm not familiar with the physical effects of a starving starfish, but given that you have two in a 48 gallon, I assume this is the problem you are having. If so, your sandbed's ability to support the biological cycle has been compromised. I'm certainly no expert on the matter, but I would remove the starfish and attempt to "reseed" the sandbed by either adding some additional liverock, or a bit of live sand from an established tank. You'll want to keep an eye on your levels in the mean time. If you like stars, I recommend a brittle-star. They mostly eat detritus.

01/29/2009, 06:35 AM	#5
NirvanaFan Reef Ninja Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 4,280	Dropping legs is a sign of starvation. I wouldn't suggest any starfish in a 46g. They can regrow them if they have the food. I'm guessing, and this is totally a guess, that they drop them so they don't have to use nutrients on them, so they don't have to "feed" as much, if that makes sense.

01/29/2009, 07:31 AM	#6
bimmer01 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Bayside, NY Posts: 229	Bladeslinger, I feel your pain. I have a red star fish that i'm noticing one of the legs are falling off.

01/29/2009, 07:56 AM	#7
an411 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Derby CT Posts: 2,861	Is there anything that you can feed them

01/29/2009, 11:59 AM	#9
Bladeslinger Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Boynton Beach, FL Posts: 65	thanks for the replies guys... I can always move them to my friend's 90 gallon w/ damsels n puffer. But I was planning on adding more live rock anyways. is there any food that I can supplement the tank with for them??

01/29/2009, 12:59 PM	#10
NCMBM Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Alamance County, NC Posts: 47	what kind of starfish are we discussing? I have serpent stars and I give them a little shrimp when I feed the anemone. They are easy to feed IMO. I know nothing about decorative stars, just the serpent. Mine stay in the shadows unless theres food in the water.

01/29/2009, 01:16 PM	#11
goby4 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 5	i also had a red star fish that also lost it legs one at a time and lived for about 3 weeks after losing it's legs, and then one moring i found it on on some of the live rock with what looked green and white mold all over it, i took it out of the tank after i saw that growing on it, dose anyone know what could have happen to it?

01/29/2009, 01:28 PM	#12
bimmer01 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Bayside, NY Posts: 229	Holy crap, thats not a good sign for my red starfish. Luckily, mine is still alive. Its in the far back.

01/29/2009, 02:02 PM	#13
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	Brittle and serpent stars will both eat detritus and meat, but serpent stars can have other issues with eating small fish. The brown brittle is the safest star you can have in a reef. I have one in my 37g and it is quite happy. I don't have any large fish to feed tho, so I occasionally have to hand feed the brittle star. Brittles can really move, almost like an octopus. They're cool and creepy.

01/30/2009, 02:06 AM	#16
xr4kw Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Ventura County, CA Posts: 119	So does anybody know of a food supplement for sand sifters? I have one in my 72...so far so good but it's only been a couple of months.

01/30/2009, 08:58 AM	#18
Bladeslinger Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Boynton Beach, FL Posts: 65	mine are sand sifting stars.... does it make a difference?? n e thing to feed them?