Starfish Question

FishinAround · 06/20/2008, 06:20 PM

I added a blue linkia star to my reef tank a month or so ago. He spent the first few weeks completely out of site as a matter of fact I had written him off then all of a sudden he came out into the open and crawled up to a perch pretty high in the rocks and stayed there for several days just moving a little here and there and then I noticed today that the end of one of his arms had broken off. I thought I read somewhere this was common and it would grow back. Is this the case or should I be worried and what would cause this? Thanks

Flightpipe · 06/20/2008, 06:30 PM

Isnt that what happens when they are starving?

cloak · 06/21/2008, 02:18 AM

Check these out.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rs/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-0...ture/index.php

Playa-1 · 06/21/2008, 06:11 AM

Maybe he ate his arm cuz he wuz hongry

indydog1 · 06/21/2008, 07:16 AM

linkia are not well suited for the home aquaria. we dont know enough about them to properly feed and care for them. it will most likely die just how soon is up for grabs.

Avi · 06/21/2008, 08:54 AM

Like mentioned, linckias can be problematic, and that's because it isn't yet known with any certainty as to what they eat. IMO, though, they can be kept alive but I'd say that the chances of them surviving depend on a larger, well-aged tank with lots of live rock. I can't say for certain, but I'd say that the minimum size would be a 90-gallon but larger than that would give you far better odds. I've also got a 120-gallon tank and I have sustained them for some years, even with arms having been damaged by a Xanthid Crab, which grew back fully once the crab was finally caught. If yours is alive, just keep an eye on it. I can't say for certain but I do believe that when they starve, physical damage appears on the top of the starfish as opposed to the tips of the "arms." Still, if you see more the damage it could be starvation, but it may well be, like in my case, that the damage was was done by a crab that came in as a hitchhiker, and is now hiding in the rocks and eating the ends of an "arm" in the nighttime when the lights are out. If that turns out to be the case then you better get it or it won't give the starfish a chance to heal and it will eventually kill it.

Sk8r · 06/21/2008, 09:08 AM

I fear he is dying. Trade him to somebody with a huge tank or take him back to the store for rehab. These creatures cannot live except in old big tanks.

jenjen · 06/21/2008, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by cloak
Check these out.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rs/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-0...ture/index.php

These are excellent articles - thanks! Very informative.

FishinAround · 06/21/2008, 09:26 AM

Thanks everyone, I'm afraid I might be losing this one but knowing now what I didn't now then I don't think I'll try another one, they seem better left in the ocean.

06/20/2008, 06:20 PM	#1
FishinAround Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 208	Starfish Question I added a blue linkia star to my reef tank a month or so ago. He spent the first few weeks completely out of site as a matter of fact I had written him off then all of a sudden he came out into the open and crawled up to a perch pretty high in the rocks and stayed there for several days just moving a little here and there and then I noticed today that the end of one of his arms had broken off. I thought I read somewhere this was common and it would grow back. Is this the case or should I be worried and what would cause this? Thanks

06/20/2008, 06:30 PM	#2
Flightpipe Sea Turtles Love Me...... Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Pensacola, FL. Posts: 745	Isnt that what happens when they are starving? __________________ "Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so." Current Tank Info: 29 BC Reef

06/21/2008, 07:16 AM	#5
indydog1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: round lake, il Posts: 1,590	linkia are not well suited for the home aquaria. we dont know enough about them to properly feed and care for them. it will most likely die just how soon is up for grabs. __________________ Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself Current Tank Info: 210 gal

06/21/2008, 08:54 AM	#6
Avi Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Westchester County, NY Posts: 7,327	Like mentioned, linckias can be problematic, and that's because it isn't yet known with any certainty as to what they eat. IMO, though, they can be kept alive but I'd say that the chances of them surviving depend on a larger, well-aged tank with lots of live rock. I can't say for certain, but I'd say that the minimum size would be a 90-gallon but larger than that would give you far better odds. I've also got a 120-gallon tank and I have sustained them for some years, even with arms having been damaged by a Xanthid Crab, which grew back fully once the crab was finally caught. If yours is alive, just keep an eye on it. I can't say for certain but I do believe that when they starve, physical damage appears on the top of the starfish as opposed to the tips of the "arms." Still, if you see more the damage it could be starvation, but it may well be, like in my case, that the damage was was done by a crab that came in as a hitchhiker, and is now hiding in the rocks and eating the ends of an "arm" in the nighttime when the lights are out. If that turns out to be the case then you better get it or it won't give the starfish a chance to heal and it will eventually kill it. __________________ I'd keep the whole ocean if my den were big enough Current Tank Info: 120 gallon reef with 210 lbs. of live rock, Aqua-C EV180 Skimmer, Aquactinic double 250W MH with blue plus t5 support; 58 gallon freshwater planted tank using CO2 and T5s; 30-gallon cube with a few fancy goldfish; and a 110 gallon FOWLR

06/21/2008, 09:08 AM	#7
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I fear he is dying. Trade him to somebody with a huge tank or take him back to the store for rehab. These creatures cannot live except in old big tanks. __________________ 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%.

06/21/2008, 02:18 AM	#3
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	Check these out. http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rs/index.php http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-0...ture/index.php

06/21/2008, 06:11 AM	#4
Playa-1 Moved On Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Laguna Niguel, CA Posts: 7,497	Maybe he ate his arm cuz he wuz hongry

06/21/2008, 09:26 AM	#9
FishinAround Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 208	Thanks everyone, I'm afraid I might be losing this one but knowing now what I didn't now then I don't think I'll try another one, they seem better left in the ocean.