serpent star dying please help!!

Dennis1438 · 07/06/2006, 08:23 AM

I have tested my water here is the results

Amonia-0
rite-0
rate-0
phos-0
ph-8.3
alk--2.0 I know low
salt-1.024
temp-78.5
calcium-360ppm also low

For the past week I noticed one of my serpent stars was loosing the tips of his arms. Last night under the moon lights I noticed two blue hermits going to town on the serpents arm. I was able to catch the serpent and there are two leasons on his body, but he is still alive. I put him in a quarintine tank to see if he will survive. Today I will do a 25% water change to my tank.

Does anyone know what may be wrong with my tank???

I had two serpent stars, the second has not been seen for a while so I think my clean up crew may have already gotten to him.

graveyardworm · 07/06/2006, 04:25 PM

Have you been feeding it directly?

Dennis1438 · 07/06/2006, 06:56 PM

No it would just eat when I fed the fish. He got adjusted when the food was put into the tank, he would come out and eat.

graveyardworm · 07/06/2006, 08:05 PM

Table scraps may not be enough, try offering it something alittle more substantial once or twice a week. A peice of kryll or silversides would work, or even some store bought fresh uncooked shrimp or clam.

If you have a QT it would help to place it there away from other possible predator/scavengers while it recovers.

dendro982 · 07/18/2006, 06:34 AM

I moved mine in safer tank with better parameters, with direct daily feeding - piece of fish or shimp. Recovers good, but it was just shrinking, not losing arms.

07/06/2006, 08:23 AM	#1
Dennis1438 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Palm City, Florida Posts: 63	serpent star dying please help!! I have tested my water here is the results Amonia-0 rite-0 rate-0 phos-0 ph-8.3 alk--2.0 I know low salt-1.024 temp-78.5 calcium-360ppm also low For the past week I noticed one of my serpent stars was loosing the tips of his arms. Last night under the moon lights I noticed two blue hermits going to town on the serpents arm. I was able to catch the serpent and there are two leasons on his body, but he is still alive. I put him in a quarintine tank to see if he will survive. Today I will do a 25% water change to my tank. Does anyone know what may be wrong with my tank??? I had two serpent stars, the second has not been seen for a while so I think my clean up crew may have already gotten to him.

07/06/2006, 04:25 PM	#2
graveyardworm Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nottingham, NH Posts: 7,251	Have you been feeding it directly? __________________ -David- President - New Hampshire Reef Club There’ll be no one to save, with the world in a grave Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress

07/06/2006, 08:05 PM	#4
graveyardworm Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nottingham, NH Posts: 7,251	Table scraps may not be enough, try offering it something alittle more substantial once or twice a week. A peice of kryll or silversides would work, or even some store bought fresh uncooked shrimp or clam. If you have a QT it would help to place it there away from other possible predator/scavengers while it recovers. __________________ -David- President - New Hampshire Reef Club There’ll be no one to save, with the world in a grave Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress

07/18/2006, 06:34 AM	#5
dendro982 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 2,963	I moved mine in safer tank with better parameters, with direct daily feeding - piece of fish or shimp. Recovers good, but it was just shrinking, not losing arms. __________________ Multiple Tank Syndrome: 15g shallow hi light - Xmas tree rocks, nps, sps, clams 6g shallow dark - sun corals collection 5g - sea apples NC12 - tube anemone 20g L - frogfish 125g - filefishes and lion Current Tank Info: 6 BB tanks: NPS, filter feeders and odd fish. LPS, sps and clams too

07/06/2006, 06:56 PM	#3
Dennis1438 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Palm City, Florida Posts: 63	No it would just eat when I fed the fish. He got adjusted when the food was put into the tank, he would come out and eat.