Blue Linkia Starfish

Greg · 04-19-2002, 05:45 PM

I bought a Blue Linkia starfish from a lfs last weekend. When I put him into the tank everything seemed fine. He crawled across the sand bed and onto the rocks. On Wednesday I noticed that the tip of one of his legs looked like it had been chewed off. Today I found that a second tip has been chewed on. Is there a possibility that the starfish will survive if no more of it gets chewed off. Also is there anything that I can do to help it heal. I have a yellow tang, coral beauty, and a flame hawk. I have no idea what is eating the starfish. I hope it is not the flamehawk. He is such a cool fish. Any help in saving the starfish would be greatly appreciated. I am going to go test my water right now to make sure everything is ok.

**golfish** · 04-19-2002, 07:25 PM

Sounds like its been effected by salinity change. Its not getting chewed on. Best thing to do is buy one that's been at your LFS for over a few months, then acclimate it very slowly to your system.

I hate to say it but you can pretty much kiss the one you have goodbye............sorry.

Mark

Greg · 04-19-2002, 08:11 PM

I got from a lfs that has had it in one of his show tanks for about a month. I don't know what the salinity of his water is but mine is 1.0245. I acclimated the starfish over a period of about 1 hour. Slowly pouring about 1/2 cup of my water into the bag until the bag was full. I probably should have poured about half the bag out when full and continued the process until full again. I was extremely careful making sure the starfish was submerged at all times. That is the one time I put lfs water into my aquarium. If there is any other way to acclimate them besides what I did I would appreciate any advice. I checked all other paramiters of my water and they are fine or as good as they have ever been. my nitrates are between 5-10 according to my test kit and nitrites/ammonia are 0. I really hate to lose this guy. Anything else you can tell me about keeping starfish would be appreciated.

Thanks

Greg

dattack · 04-19-2002, 11:31 PM

Greg, this Linckia is a goner. I had an impulse buy a few months ago with a Linckia. I acclimated for over 4 hours using the drip method, yet he passed away within 1 month. Slowly but surely, each leg fell off and became infected.
BTW, I bought it at Jeff's exotic and I should have known looking at the other two linckias left that were decomposing that mind wouldn't make it. However, $7 was too tempting. I don't think I will get one in a long time.

Reinhold · 04-20-2002, 12:55 PM

Watch the Linckia very closely. It can be difficult to tell when it's dead. if you wait too long, you can wind up with an ammonia spike, and all of the vicious cycle changes which can go with that.

Greg · 04-20-2002, 01:22 PM

I have been watching him very closely. This morning I went to see how he was doing and he had moved a little bit. He also looks like his legs have swelled back to their normal size. Yesterday they looked a little shrunken. I will continue to watch him very closely to make sure he isn't dead or falling apart. When I think he is definitely dead I will pull him out immediately.

Greg

04-19-2002, 05:45 PM	#1
Greg Just Moved In Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Havelock, NC Posts: 16	Blue Linkia Starfish I bought a Blue Linkia starfish from a lfs last weekend. When I put him into the tank everything seemed fine. He crawled across the sand bed and onto the rocks. On Wednesday I noticed that the tip of one of his legs looked like it had been chewed off. Today I found that a second tip has been chewed on. Is there a possibility that the starfish will survive if no more of it gets chewed off. Also is there anything that I can do to help it heal. I have a yellow tang, coral beauty, and a flame hawk. I have no idea what is eating the starfish. I hope it is not the flamehawk. He is such a cool fish. Any help in saving the starfish would be greatly appreciated. I am going to go test my water right now to make sure everything is ok.

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04-19-2002, 07:25 PM	#2
golfish Moderator Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Alta Loma,Ca Posts: 2,943	Sounds like its been effected by salinity change. Its not getting chewed on. Best thing to do is buy one that's been at your LFS for over a few months, then acclimate it very slowly to your system. I hate to say it but you can pretty much kiss the one you have goodbye............sorry. Mark

04-19-2002, 08:11 PM	#3
Greg Just Moved In Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Havelock, NC Posts: 16	I got from a lfs that has had it in one of his show tanks for about a month. I don't know what the salinity of his water is but mine is 1.0245. I acclimated the starfish over a period of about 1 hour. Slowly pouring about 1/2 cup of my water into the bag until the bag was full. I probably should have poured about half the bag out when full and continued the process until full again. I was extremely careful making sure the starfish was submerged at all times. That is the one time I put lfs water into my aquarium. If there is any other way to acclimate them besides what I did I would appreciate any advice. I checked all other paramiters of my water and they are fine or as good as they have ever been. my nitrates are between 5-10 according to my test kit and nitrites/ammonia are 0. I really hate to lose this guy. Anything else you can tell me about keeping starfish would be appreciated. Thanks Greg

04-19-2002, 11:31 PM	#4
dattack Council Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: anaheim, CA Posts: 347	Greg, this Linckia is a goner. I had an impulse buy a few months ago with a Linckia. I acclimated for over 4 hours using the drip method, yet he passed away within 1 month. Slowly but surely, each leg fell off and became infected. BTW, I bought it at Jeff's exotic and I should have known looking at the other two linckias left that were decomposing that mind wouldn't make it. However, $7 was too tempting. I don't think I will get one in a long time.

04-20-2002, 12:55 PM	#5
Reinhold Mayor Join Date: May 2001 Location: USA Posts: 941	Watch the Linckia very closely. It can be difficult to tell when it's dead. if you wait too long, you can wind up with an ammonia spike, and all of the vicious cycle changes which can go with that.

04-20-2002, 01:22 PM	#6
Greg Just Moved In Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Havelock, NC Posts: 16	I have been watching him very closely. This morning I went to see how he was doing and he had moved a little bit. He also looks like his legs have swelled back to their normal size. Yesterday they looked a little shrunken. I will continue to watch him very closely to make sure he isn't dead or falling apart. When I think he is definitely dead I will pull him out immediately. Greg

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