Dead Starfish, Any Choice but removing everything

mess7777 · 03/23/2011, 05:29 AM

Hi all,

I am the new guy spamming the board with questions. Seems I can never find the answers I would like by searching.

I just purchased a used 110 gallon tank, it had 3 fish, a couple nearly dead ugly corals, and a brittle/sepent starfish(not sure exactly which one). Anyway, it was alive through the move and it is now in the tank. It naturally crawled under the rock and I am able to see the tentacles through a space at the bottom. There has been no movement for two days and i fear it is dead.

Do I have any choice but to drain a bunch of water, remove the rock, and get that thing out of there? I don't see any alternative. If possible, I would like to avoid this big job!

jdhuyvetter · 03/23/2011, 05:35 AM

They are known to sit in the same place for days. Have you fed the fish? Mine come out when I feed. Have you looked at night? they also tend to come out then too.

kellerexpress · 03/23/2011, 05:35 AM

You need to verify that it is in fact dead, it may be just hiding.

Indymann99 · 03/23/2011, 06:21 AM

What other CUC (clean up crew) do you have... some hermits, nassarias snails, bristleworms, will make short work of anything dead.

I would bet you do more damage trying to get it out vs letting CUC take care of it.

What are your water params? A measurable amt of Am will indicate a dead body somewhere... however a good CUC and a waterchange or 2 should take care of it.

mess7777 · 03/23/2011, 06:47 AM

I had some live rock die off in the move, so I believe everything is still trying to catch up. Ammonia was 0 yesterday(after adding some prime). Today there is a detectable amount again.

I only have about 5 hermit crabs as CUC, haven't gotten any more yet. i am going to find out who has some in stock today and get some snails and crabs to help as I am getting some algae growth too.

I can see the star under rock, I just haven't seen the tentacle move position in a couple days. I was told they are quite fragile so it could be the move that ended it.

Indymann99 · 03/23/2011, 06:52 AM

I would leave it and monitor Am. I dont think those stars have much body mass so you should not see a huge Am spike even if he is DoA. Adding hermits will help. If you have any bristle worms and the star is dead you WILL see the bristle worms around it.

mess7777 · 03/23/2011, 06:55 AM

I had some live rock die off in the move, so I believe everything is still trying to catch up. Ammonia was 0 yesterday(after adding some prime). Today there is a detectable amount again.

I only have about 5 hermit crabs as CUC, haven't gotten any more yet. i am going to find out who has some in stock today and get some snails and crabs to help as I am getting some algae growth too.

I can see the star under rock, I just haven't seen the tentacle move position in a couple days. I was told they are quite fragile so it could be the move that ended it. I will keep an eye on it and I guess if I start to see the crabs on it I will know it is dead for sure.

I guess the ammonia could be just due to the rocks not able to work at 100% effieciency yet.

Beefer · 03/23/2011, 08:48 AM

I would take others advice, and wait it out. I've had the same brittle star for 7 years now, who's survived 1 tank crash and 3 moves. During the day its always hiding in the rocks and not moving. I've actually gone months at a time without seeing it, then one day I'll see it hiding in between some rocks. It will crawl across the glass sometimes at night and creep out my fiance.

mayjong · 03/23/2011, 08:58 AM

even if it's dead, let the clean up crew handle it...

Sk8r · 03/23/2011, 09:05 AM

x2---a) it's probably not dead, they do that. Often.
b) you're cycling. That's what cycling does, grow bacteria off the decay of dead stuff
c) if you have any worms functioning, and it is dead, they'll take care of it before the bacteria does.

03/23/2011, 05:29 AM	#1
mess7777 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: QC,QC Posts: 987	Dead Starfish, Any Choice but removing everything Hi all, I am the new guy spamming the board with questions. Seems I can never find the answers I would like by searching. I just purchased a used 110 gallon tank, it had 3 fish, a couple nearly dead ugly corals, and a brittle/sepent starfish(not sure exactly which one). Anyway, it was alive through the move and it is now in the tank. It naturally crawled under the rock and I am able to see the tentacles through a space at the bottom. There has been no movement for two days and i fear it is dead. Do I have any choice but to drain a bunch of water, remove the rock, and get that thing out of there? I don't see any alternative. If possible, I would like to avoid this big job!

03/23/2011, 05:35 AM	#2
jdhuyvetter SWFMAS Event Coordinator Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Lehigh Acres, Florida Posts: 2,179	They are known to sit in the same place for days. Have you fed the fish? Mine come out when I feed. Have you looked at night? they also tend to come out then too. __________________ Be kind to animals.....kiss a shark! "Great things happen when you start to add more light. The heavens open, angels sing and there is Peace on Earth" RockDoc Current Tank Info: 300 gallon stony reef, 300 gallon softie tank, 120 gallon FW/Orchid tank

03/23/2011, 06:21 AM	#4
Indymann99 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 2,447	What other CUC (clean up crew) do you have... some hermits, nassarias snails, bristleworms, will make short work of anything dead. I would bet you do more damage trying to get it out vs letting CUC take care of it. What are your water params? A measurable amt of Am will indicate a dead body somewhere... however a good CUC and a waterchange or 2 should take care of it. __________________ 120g DT 100lbs LR / 200 lbs LS, 45g fuge, VectraM1 Return, Herbie drain, 4x RW-8, 2x AI Hydra 26 w AWM, ASM G2, Apex controller, Apex BoB w floats ATO

03/23/2011, 06:52 AM	#6
Indymann99 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 2,447	I would leave it and monitor Am. I dont think those stars have much body mass so you should not see a huge Am spike even if he is DoA. Adding hermits will help. If you have any bristle worms and the star is dead you WILL see the bristle worms around it. __________________ 120g DT 100lbs LR / 200 lbs LS, 45g fuge, VectraM1 Return, Herbie drain, 4x RW-8, 2x AI Hydra 26 w AWM, ASM G2, Apex controller, Apex BoB w floats ATO

03/23/2011, 08:58 AM	#9
mayjong Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Sacramento CA Posts: 2,426	even if it's dead, let the clean up crew handle it... __________________ No Tanks... I'm out! still lurking, though...

03/23/2011, 05:35 AM	#3
kellerexpress Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 504	You need to verify that it is in fact dead, it may be just hiding.

03/23/2011, 06:47 AM	#5
mess7777 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: QC,QC Posts: 987	I had some live rock die off in the move, so I believe everything is still trying to catch up. Ammonia was 0 yesterday(after adding some prime). Today there is a detectable amount again. I only have about 5 hermit crabs as CUC, haven't gotten any more yet. i am going to find out who has some in stock today and get some snails and crabs to help as I am getting some algae growth too. I can see the star under rock, I just haven't seen the tentacle move position in a couple days. I was told they are quite fragile so it could be the move that ended it.

03/23/2011, 06:55 AM	#7
mess7777 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: QC,QC Posts: 987	I had some live rock die off in the move, so I believe everything is still trying to catch up. Ammonia was 0 yesterday(after adding some prime). Today there is a detectable amount again. I only have about 5 hermit crabs as CUC, haven't gotten any more yet. i am going to find out who has some in stock today and get some snails and crabs to help as I am getting some algae growth too. I can see the star under rock, I just haven't seen the tentacle move position in a couple days. I was told they are quite fragile so it could be the move that ended it. I will keep an eye on it and I guess if I start to see the crabs on it I will know it is dead for sure. I guess the ammonia could be just due to the rocks not able to work at 100% effieciency yet.

03/23/2011, 08:48 AM	#8
Beefer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Detroit, Mi Posts: 65	I would take others advice, and wait it out. I've had the same brittle star for 7 years now, who's survived 1 tank crash and 3 moves. During the day its always hiding in the rocks and not moving. I've actually gone months at a time without seeing it, then one day I'll see it hiding in between some rocks. It will crawl across the glass sometimes at night and creep out my fiance.

03/23/2011, 09:05 AM	#10
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	x2---a) it's probably not dead, they do that. Often. b) you're cycling. That's what cycling does, grow bacteria off the decay of dead stuff c) if you have any worms functioning, and it is dead, they'll take care of it before the bacteria does. __________________ 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%.

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