sand star

[grdpder]

I have a sand star. all of a sudden today, i saw it missing a limb. now, i see my peppermints attacking it. I have several questions.

1) Will the limb grow back?

2) What can I do to help it in the mean time?

3) Should I put it in a quarantine tank?

Any points from anyone would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

David

 

[Smitty]

When they start losing their limbs, that's an indication that they are dying. The shrimp are starting to pick at it because it's slowly fading away. It's probably a good idea to put in the quarantine tank to give it any hope of surviving. High nitrates are what usually cause them to die like that, or else it's starving to death. Sorry about that.

 

[yote]

+1 Smitty

9 time out of 10 they end up starving in our tanks.What the need to survive just cant reproduce as fast those stars can eat it in our tanks.

 

[grdpder]

So, a follow up question. Should I just let it die and leave in the tank, or wait till it dies then remove from my tank? Of course, I will put him in my quarantine tank and see what happens.

Thanks in advance.

David

 

[BL1]

Starving or possibly an electric current in your tank. I just lost 2 linkias because of stray voltage in my tank.

 

[Smitty]

I would take it out so it doesn't pollute the tank.

 

[dcantucson]

There is the off chance that something else is going on, like a crab of some kind got a hold of it or it simply had something wrong with an arm. If that is the case and it isn't starving to death , then the arm will indeed grow back. I would place it in a QT and watch it closely to se if it is getting better or worse over a period of a week. If it continues getting worse I'd take it out instead of letting it pollute the water. Good luck with it.

 

[grdpder]

There is the off chance that something else is going on, like a crab of some kind got a hold of it or it simply had something wrong with an arm. If that is the case and it isn't starving to death , then the arm will indeed grow back. I would place it in a QT and watch it closely to se if it is getting better or worse over a period of a week. If it continues getting worse I'd take it out instead of letting it pollute the water. Good luck with it.

Thanks! that's what i did today and placed it into my QT. Let's see what happens. I don't think it is make it, but gotta give it a try. I don't think I will be getting another sea star soon.

David

 

[grdpder]

Starving or possibly an electric current in your tank. I just lost 2 linkias because of stray voltage in my tank.

what do you mean when you say, " electric current?"

thanks in advance.

David

 

[andersoned14]

placed it into my QT

wondering if you have copper in your QT, I would think the copper would also kill it. And it has been said once copper is in any tank you should never put inverts in there. My sand star also lost a leg last week but my QT has copper in it for fish. I am still learning alot so hopefully someone else can clear this up.

 

[grdpder]

wondering if you have copper in your QT, I would think the copper would also kill it. And it has been said once copper is in any tank you should never put inverts in there. My sand star also lost a leg last week but my QT has copper in it for fish. I am still learning alot so hopefully someone else can clear this up.

i thoroughly washed my QT with soap. i have my sand star there now. i heard the same thing, but, i think it should be ok. i hope it will get well. it is not moving much now. i will give it as long as it needs.

let me know how yours do. are any of your shrimps attacking your sand star. that was happening with mine. my peppermint shrimps were munching my sand star. i had to take it out and put it in my QT.

David

 

[yote]

Copper will kill stars quick.Usually,it'll cause them to just start falling completely apart.

 

[grdpder]

When they start losing their limbs, that's an indication that they are dying. The shrimp are starting to pick at it because it's slowly fading away. It's probably a good idea to put in the quarantine tank to give it any hope of surviving. High nitrates are what usually cause them to die like that, or else it's starving to death. Sorry about that.

thanks! i did test the nitrates and it was skyrocket high in my QT. I immediately made a 50 percent water change to my 10 gal QT and now is at normal levels according to the test.

i also tested my 40 gal reef tank and it is normal also. i had made a 25 percent water change two days ago. plus i bought some nitrate removal and added into my filter. hope that does the job.

 

[andersoned14]

i thoroughly washed my QT with soap. i have my sand star there now. i heard the same thing, but, i think it should be ok. i hope it will get well. it is not moving much now. i will give it as long as it needs.

let me know how yours do. are any of your shrimps attacking your sand star. that was happening with mine. my peppermint shrimps were munching my sand star. i had to take it out and put it in my QT.

David

I did not move mine because there is copper in my QT. I don't have any shrimp in that tank because I have a puffer and that would eat the shrimp. Nothing is bothering the star fish I think it is just starving and anything I put in there is eaten by the fish and herimitts before the starfish gets it no matter how close I put it to the star.

 

[grdpder]

I did not move mine because there is copper in my QT. I don't have any shrimp in that tank because I have a puffer and that would eat the shrimp. Nothing is bothering the star fish I think it is just starving and anything I put in there is eaten by the fish and herimitts before the starfish gets it no matter how close I put it to the star.

yeah, it seems hard to keep them from not starving. yet, i went back to my lfs where i got it and his is doing fine...mmmmm good luck with yours and hope mine will make it through in my QT.