Mysteries that need to be solved

Ostridge · 12/02/2009, 03:27 PM

A few things have been happening. First our little hitch hiker star fish are mysteriously becoming eaten? They are moving around with only two to three legs left. Also I swear I saw my peppermint shrimp yesterday and mysteriously today it is VAVOOM! disappeared... any ideas what may be happening? Also would our bicolor dottyback be doing all this damage??? Or do we have something worse than that.

mrpopo · 12/02/2009, 04:18 PM

Sometime I will not see a shrimp or starfish in days so don't write them off yet. They are pretty good at finding hiding spots and the peppermint shrimp mainly come out at night. Also some of the small hitchhiker starfish grow looking like they are missing legs.

spleify · 12/02/2009, 04:42 PM

agreed, if it was a tiny star, they are called asterina stars. They do multiply by dropping legs. Peppermint shrimp do a good job of hiding, so like said usually not anything to worry about, I have 9 in one of my tanks and almost NEVER see any.

No worries, just natural behavior in our tanks.

shereth · 12/02/2009, 04:43 PM

It sounds like your hitchikers are Asterina starfish. As I recall they often reproduce asexually by dropping limbs that will regenerate into new individuals, but as a result you will often find them with odd numbers of legs. I have seen Asterinas in my tank with 3, 4 or 5 legs, usually of different sizes/lengths.

Ostridge · 12/02/2009, 06:20 PM

They are Asterina starfish. and I will take your word and hope my shrimp shows up. thanks.

Beanfish · 12/02/2009, 08:39 PM

I hardly ever saw my peppermint shrimp. Just keep an eye out for its exoskeleton when it moalts.

Izzone001 · 12/02/2009, 09:00 PM

*molts

Ostridge · 12/03/2009, 10:39 AM

yea... thanks everyone... but i believe my shrimp is gone. no signs of it period. i even fed the tank and it normally comes out when i feed the tank.

SNAKEMANVET · 12/03/2009, 10:43 AM

sometimes shrimp don't make it through a molt.

R_Hudson · 12/03/2009, 10:44 AM

Pep shrimp are cryptic animals and you will probably not see him very often anymore. That just happens when they find a hiding spot and good luck with the asterinas

Ostridge · 12/03/2009, 07:48 PM

ours was never shy. its only a ten gallon tank. so we can normally see hiding spots.

12/02/2009, 03:27 PM	#1
Ostridge Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Omaha Nebraska Posts: 107	Mysteries that need to be solved A few things have been happening. First our little hitch hiker star fish are mysteriously becoming eaten? They are moving around with only two to three legs left. Also I swear I saw my peppermint shrimp yesterday and mysteriously today it is VAVOOM! disappeared... any ideas what may be happening? Also would our bicolor dottyback be doing all this damage??? Or do we have something worse than that.

12/02/2009, 04:42 PM	#3
spleify Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 9,579	agreed, if it was a tiny star, they are called asterina stars. They do multiply by dropping legs. Peppermint shrimp do a good job of hiding, so like said usually not anything to worry about, I have 9 in one of my tanks and almost NEVER see any. No worries, just natural behavior in our tanks. __________________ Make it a Great Day!!!! Current Tank Info: 60 gal SPS cube, with 25 gal refugium, 400W MH, DIY Lumenarc III, DIY skimmer, DIY stand and canopy. 40 breeder LPS with 40 gallon sump, DIY stand, 250W MH

12/02/2009, 04:18 PM	#2
mrpopo Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Savannah, Ga Posts: 54	Sometime I will not see a shrimp or starfish in days so don't write them off yet. They are pretty good at finding hiding spots and the peppermint shrimp mainly come out at night. Also some of the small hitchhiker starfish grow looking like they are missing legs.

12/02/2009, 04:43 PM	#4
shereth Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Laveen, AZ Posts: 73	It sounds like your hitchikers are Asterina starfish. As I recall they often reproduce asexually by dropping limbs that will regenerate into new individuals, but as a result you will often find them with odd numbers of legs. I have seen Asterinas in my tank with 3, 4 or 5 legs, usually of different sizes/lengths.

12/02/2009, 06:20 PM	#5
Ostridge Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Omaha Nebraska Posts: 107	They are Asterina starfish. and I will take your word and hope my shrimp shows up. thanks.

12/02/2009, 08:39 PM	#6
Beanfish Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Imperial, MO Posts: 121	I hardly ever saw my peppermint shrimp. Just keep an eye out for its exoskeleton when it moalts.

12/02/2009, 09:00 PM	#7
Izzone001 Moved On Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 70	*molts

12/03/2009, 10:39 AM	#8
Ostridge Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Omaha Nebraska Posts: 107	yea... thanks everyone... but i believe my shrimp is gone. no signs of it period. i even fed the tank and it normally comes out when i feed the tank.

12/03/2009, 10:43 AM	#9
SNAKEMANVET PREMIUM MEMBER Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: TRENTON Tn Posts: 4,486	sometimes shrimp don't make it through a molt.

12/03/2009, 10:44 AM	#10
R_Hudson Just having fun Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Tulsa, Ok. Posts: 990	Pep shrimp are cryptic animals and you will probably not see him very often anymore. That just happens when they find a hiding spot and good luck with the asterinas

12/03/2009, 07:48 PM	#11
Ostridge Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Omaha Nebraska Posts: 107	ours was never shy. its only a ten gallon tank. so we can normally see hiding spots.