Help!!! Life-sucking Death!!

I have had my CC starfish for about a year and this is the first time this has happened. I came home to find his whole body wrapped around the powerhead intake, and he looked verry...shriveled would be a good word to describe it. I turned the powerhead off first and he fell to the bottom of the tank and wasn't moving at all. I picked him up..still underwater of course and examined more closely and fhe is about half the size he once was and all...shriveled up is a good way to put it, but with his entire body still intact, unmoving. I brushed my fingers lightly across his tentecles and they reacted to my touch and he can move his star tips verrrrrry slowly...even slow for a starfish. I was wondering should I pull him out of the tank so it doesn't crash if he dies? Or will he recover? Does anyone know anything about this type of thing happening? Right now I just place him on the sand with a small piece of silverside with nori, to see if he will eat. What should I do???

 

Just give him some time, if he doesnt move within 2-3 hrs, assume he is dead.


Luna

 

Fujin

I have a CC ( in the 60 with no corals) and he investigates everything
he folds himself around my 5000 LPH K clone
yes it does tend to make his shape change, but he soon recovers once he has moved off

dont have any of the internal PH types that your describing on that tank, and I know they do exert more pulling power (its more concentrated) than my clones


Im confident it will make it, they seem indestructable to me from my personal experience with one

may be a good idea to cover the intakes with sponges for future or use those mesh guards as it least they keep them further away from the direct pull force



Steve

 

Thanks Steve and Luna. I saw it flex its legs a little and I wiped the sweat off my brow. I have heard starfish are pretty tough, being able to regenerate and all, but I just wasn't sure if the powerhead pulled its soft stomach out of it or something else detrimental of that nature....last thing I need is a giant, unnoticed, dead starfish in my tank. Besides, he is the one I count on to clean up all the other dead stuff, so who's gonna clean up him????

 

I wouldnt worry too much. mine is tough as nails..