Anorexic Starfish?

Discussion in 'Inverts' started by TheDuck, Nov 20, 2007.

to remove this notice and enjoy 3reef content with less ads. 3reef membership is free.

  1. TheDuck

    TheDuck Fire Worm

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2006
    Messages:
    152
    Location:
    Albuquerque, NM
    Well, I've had my Chocolate Chip Star for a little over a month. It's been doing it's thing (whatever that may be), climbing all around the glass, cruising all over the tank, even coming to the top when it's hungry.

    Lately, it's been looking a little sad or (depressed even) when hanging on the glass. The arms aren't wide, kind of sagging and droopy. It finally ended up on the substrate in a blob-ish mess, but flattened out. It looks ok, but severely under fed...and I feed the thing (krill) twice a week at least.

    Today, he hasn't really moved for the past two days, so I flipped it up almost upside down to see if it was still alive. Within 30 minutes, it was back in the on the floor of the tank just sitting there...looking really thin. I tried to feed it down there, but one of my hermits got the krill 1st.

    Water tested perfect for inverts.

    I know it's only a $7 addition to the tank, but the star is really cool and I don't want to lose it.

    Help? :confused:
     
  2. Click Here!

  3. TheDuck

    TheDuck Fire Worm

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2006
    Messages:
    152
    Location:
    Albuquerque, NM
    Hmmph.....

    Lost the tang right after my 1st post (cloudy eye, fin rot) and took the starfish out. The crabs were picking on it.

    Clown and bi-colored blenny, crabs and snails doing just fine.

    Just tested the water....it's all good.

    I don't get it.
     
  4. amcarrig

    amcarrig Super Moderator

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2004
    Messages:
    9,219
    Location:
    CT
    You have a ground probe in that tank?
     
  5. TheDuck

    TheDuck Fire Worm

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2006
    Messages:
    152
    Location:
    Albuquerque, NM
    Nope.

    I'm pretty sure that's not the problem because of the health of everything else.
     
  6. Reefdiver72

    Reefdiver72 Feather Duster

    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2007
    Messages:
    232
    Location:
    Lancaster Ohio
    How old is your test kit? I would definetly try another kit something has to be up for your tang to have those problems also.
     
  7. coral reefer

    coral reefer Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2006
    Messages:
    4,860
    Location:
    Wonderland
    What type of water tests did you do????
    Sorry to hear about your problems!
     
  8. Click Here!

  9. amcarrig

    amcarrig Super Moderator

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2004
    Messages:
    9,219
    Location:
    CT
    OK then.
     
  10. Tangster

    Tangster 3reef Sponsor

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2006
    Messages:
    5,644
    Location:
    Va/Ct
    Do a test for voltage.. A probe is cheap insurance and you can't see them they do not move or need any maintenance ..

    People think that voltage is never a problem.. But long story sort I had a guy in N.J to contact me telling me what his tank was doing and what was dieing off and asked why ? I told him to get a probe.. He did still had the problem snails star's hermits where just dieing off slow but sure.. I said its current and that went one then he said Its a brand new probe.. I said ck the tank and probe.... He did the new probe was broken in the shielding somewhere..Brand new.. He got another one tested the new probe and plugged it in problem stopped. I'd add a probe thats just free advice and to some thats all its worth.
     
  11. TheDuck

    TheDuck Fire Worm

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2006
    Messages:
    152
    Location:
    Albuquerque, NM
    We just bought it last year when we got the tank.

    salinity
    ph
    nitrate
    nitrite
    amonia