Rescued starfish need help.

[kevvin27]

I have never owned a starfish before and I was at the lfs today to pick up a few pieces of live rock for a nano aquarium I have started in my temperary home away from home for a couple months. In the giant container the store has all it's Fiji live rock in, was a 3 or 4" red starfish. It's got bumps all over it like spines or something and it's missing a leg. They told me it was on it's way out from the way it looked and gave it to me for free to try and rescue because they were'nt going to do anything about saving it. They recomended a fresh water dip. I did that for maybe a minute and now have it in the tiny tank. It's still moving around slowly but I don't know how to tell if it's healthy or what to try and feed it or really too much at all about starfish's. Anyone's advice would be helpful. Thank you.

Kevin

 

[Smitty]

I've never heard of doing a fw dip on a star fish...that may been the wrong advice they've given you. They don't sudden changes of salinity, temp and ph, so a fw dip will definitely shock them. Try feeding it and see if it eats the food. And make sure your nitrates are as close to zero as possible. Good luck with it.

 

[yote]

+1 Smitty

 

[dcantucson]

I think trying to do a fresh water dip would just expose the starfish to air and do it way more harm. Not to mention how sensitive they are to salinity. :shock:

I think your LFS doesn't give very good advice. JMO

 

[kevvin27]

oops. I wish I had done more research before doing that. He's still alive today and still moving around. What should I try to feed it and how?

 

[Reefrookie]

Any small piece of food will do. Put it close to an arm and it should grab it....Good Luck, I hope it pulls through for you

 

[fastrd400]

Try putting an algae tab under him. If he survives the one missing leg will grow back.

 

[Melosu58]

I agree. Never do a FW dip with a starfish. One of the biggest things that will harm a starfish next to exposing to air is big changes in salinity. A star cannot survive with fluctuating salinity changes. I`d say a change from SW to FW would qualify as a salinity change. Very unlearned person that LFS.

 

[kevvin27]

bad news. hes lost a leg. what does that mean?? what do i do?

 

[Reefrookie]

Nothing you can do. Let him go, he should be fine and will grow back a new leg in time

 

[kevvin27]

y would he suddenly lose it though?

 

[Reefrookie]

Probably stress or if they feel threatened by something

 

[Bifferwine]

I agree with what others have said -- you're lucky the freshwater dip didn't kill it right away :shock:. Take advice from that LFS at your own risk!

Starfish will regrow their limbs if they are healthy. You've got him in the best environment you can, so I think it's pretty much out of your hands if he makes it or not.

 

[kevvin27]

one of the hermit crabs started picking at the star's stump. will the hermits eat the starfish even if it's still alive?

 

[rwynn]

Hermits are evil....

 

[Smitty]

Yep...that's because they can smell it dying, so they figure they'll start early.

 

[kwsm]

one of the hermit crabs started picking at the star's stump. will the hermits eat the starfish even if it's still alive?

I would think it would definitely be eating the dead or dying part of it. So whether or not it's alive depends on how much of it is dead or dying. I would say the outlook isn't good.

 

[ggNoRe]

Sorry I don't have any advice but just wanted to say I hope it pulls through and even if it didn't at least you tried.

 

[kevvin27]

thanks everyone. one last question. the arm the fell off today is currently in a container of aquarium water right now and it's moving... y?

 

[dcantucson]

Sorry about you Starfish kevvin. It's frustrating when you try to save a dying animal. :frustrat: At least you tried.