brittle stars lost legs

marleycoalby · 04/06/2012, 08:29 PM

Hello all, I have a strange occurance in my tank that is bringing up a question. I had a tiger striped fancy brittle star in my tank until recently when unfortunately I accidentally turned on a powerhead with him wrapped in the impellar well needless to say it didn't end up good and all 5 of his legs were cut off. Now I haven't seen the body anywhere but all 5 legs have been in the front of my tank and still moving around. The weird thing is it has been 2 weeks and they are not only moving around but they respond to feeding and it makes them search out food.Does anyone have any knowledge of what I should expect them to do?

pentrix2 · 04/06/2012, 10:08 PM

i'm curious myself

ItzJustinN · 04/06/2012, 10:41 PM

new here myself, but if its like a traditional starfish,and if you have good water conditions, each leg will grow back into a new starfish and the main body will regenerate its legs. he should be ok 8) ,,, someone correct me if im wrong .

Sk8r · 04/06/2012, 10:48 PM

Check your alkalinity RSN....match my water params. Might be able to save it.

HaKs310 · 04/06/2012, 10:57 PM

Some starfish can regenerate a lost limb but the central disc is needed. Others can form a whole new starfish just from an arm.
If the arms are still moving then I would think that you will have 6 starfish in a year's time.

marleycoalby · 04/07/2012, 11:16 AM

Thanks for the input just please remember it is a brittle star not a traditional starfish. They definitely respond at feeding time and it appears they are grabbing food with all the tiny appendages on the legs.

pentrix2 · 04/07/2012, 11:33 AM

That's pretty neat how this guy works. Got pictures to share by chance? Did you move the legs away from the power head?

Pen

marleycoalby · 04/08/2012, 09:48 PM

Legs kinda moved to the front corner of the tank by themselves. They really just kinda sit there all day until I add food to the tank and then all 5 start to move around and search out the food. After about 10-15 min. the hermit crabs all try to come steal what is in their grasp. Cool to watch but freaky also!

BigCountry74 · 04/09/2012, 07:45 AM

never read of a brittle regening without a disc. but if that happens that will be pretty cool!! the disc has to be somewhere?

04/06/2012, 08:29 PM	#1
marleycoalby Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: santa cruz Ca. Posts: 52	brittle stars lost legs Hello all, I have a strange occurance in my tank that is bringing up a question. I had a tiger striped fancy brittle star in my tank until recently when unfortunately I accidentally turned on a powerhead with him wrapped in the impellar well needless to say it didn't end up good and all 5 of his legs were cut off. Now I haven't seen the body anywhere but all 5 legs have been in the front of my tank and still moving around. The weird thing is it has been 2 weeks and they are not only moving around but they respond to feeding and it makes them search out food.Does anyone have any knowledge of what I should expect them to do?

04/06/2012, 10:48 PM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Check your alkalinity RSN....match my water params. Might be able to save it. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

04/06/2012, 10:57 PM	#5
HaKs310 Forever Learning Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Whittier, CA Posts: 1,241	Some starfish can regenerate a lost limb but the central disc is needed. Others can form a whole new starfish just from an arm. If the arms are still moving then I would think that you will have 6 starfish in a year's time. __________________ IM Fusion Pro 20 Peninsula \| Nanobox Duo Plus M \| AquaIllumination Nero 3 \| XP Aqua Duetto Dual-Sensor ATO \| Eheim Jager 75w Heater

04/07/2012, 11:16 AM	#6
marleycoalby Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: santa cruz Ca. Posts: 52	brittle star legs Thanks for the input just please remember it is a brittle star not a traditional starfish. They definitely respond at feeding time and it appears they are grabbing food with all the tiny appendages on the legs.

04/09/2012, 07:45 AM	#9
BigCountry74 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,761	never read of a brittle regening without a disc. but if that happens that will be pretty cool!! the disc has to be somewhere? __________________ 135g mixed reef (retired) http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2132815 Current 40g reef http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2483250 Current Tank Info: 40g bare bottom reef

04/06/2012, 10:08 PM	#2
pentrix2 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 557	i'm curious myself

04/06/2012, 10:41 PM	#3
ItzJustinN Nano-Reefin' Newbie Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: St. Charles Posts: 1,334	new here myself, but if its like a traditional starfish,and if you have good water conditions, each leg will grow back into a new starfish and the main body will regenerate its legs. he should be ok 8) ,,, someone correct me if im wrong .

04/07/2012, 11:33 AM	#7
pentrix2 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 557	That's pretty neat how this guy works. Got pictures to share by chance? Did you move the legs away from the power head? Pen

04/08/2012, 09:48 PM	#8
marleycoalby Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: santa cruz Ca. Posts: 52	Legs kinda moved to the front corner of the tank by themselves. They really just kinda sit there all day until I add food to the tank and then all 5 start to move around and search out the food. After about 10-15 min. the hermit crabs all try to come steal what is in their grasp. Cool to watch but freaky also!