Star dead or alive?

[Salts001]

I just got a star over the weekend and placed it against the glass and sand. I haven't seen it moved since. How do you tell if its dead or alive? No movement in the feets when i pick it up and the center where the mouth is bubbled up.....what happened?

 

[spongeycrab]

I just got a star over the weekend and placed it against the glass and sand. I haven't seen it moved since. How do you tell if its dead or alive? No movement in the feets when i pick it up and the center where the mouth is bubbled up.....what happened?

Slow drip acclimation? What type of star fish? How old is your tank? Star fish are very delicate especially Linkia star fish, you might of been too rough.

 

[Salts001]

Dripped for about 2hrs, and tank is about 1yr old....bummer. Not having much luck here.

 

[Amba]

Starfish are extremely sensitive creatures, even small salinity changes can cause them to "puke" their guts out and melt. Some water parameters would help.

 

[spongeycrab]

Dripped for about 2hrs, and tank is about 1yr old....bummer. Not having much luck here.

Two hours isn't enough I recommend at least 3 hours.

 

[Salts001]

Oh man yea looks like this one is gonzo...the mouth area on the star is pushed out bubble look, real funky looking. Water parameters are inline but then again thrown off by some of the green hair algea i have. I was dealing with bryopsis not to lomg ago but that seems to be all gone, i hope.

Thanks all for the input. When do you think would be the ideal condition to have a star? I really like the way they look!!!!

 

[Amba]

Well when you say the parameters are, "inline" what do you mean? Perhaps actual numbers would give a better idea of what's going on. Do you have test kits?

 

[Bifferwine]

Certain stars are easier than others. Serpent and brittle stars are easy. Linckias and fromias are more difficult. No matter what kind of star you get, they should never be exposed to air when you are transferring them from the bag to the tank, and they should be acclimated to your water over a couple hours. They are especially sensitive to nitrates -- you really need them as close to zero as possible to keep stars.

 

[Big K]

Good to know, Biffer. I am really jonesing for a Blue Linckia, but I will wait until my water is perfect (and my wallet is! lol).

 

[ZyberGoby]

To add to what Sarah (Biff) said it's more so a case of intertidal stars that tolerate exposure very well. To where deepwater stars do not tolerate removal or exposure all that well or at all. My serpent and brittle stars I've had in the past would climb above the water line and were just fine for doing so. hell even my astrea stars do this out of water act.