Starfish legs turning white

I have just returned home from work and found that the tips of the legs of my orange starfish are white. It looks as if the skin is falling off them. I don't know what to do. I've spoken to my LFS who said its a disease and it could be 50/50 in terms of survival.

I've read some stuff about amputation and am considering it but as its on the end of all 5 legs I feel it may be too late maybe. I'll get a picture up when it's in a good spot again. It's moving around still. I have had it since I got the tank 9 months ago without issues. There are no new livestock and hasn't been for months and all my parameters are fine. Corals all look good too. Don't know what's causing this.

 

Orange Linckia? This is what happens to stars when they reach starvation and begin to dissolve. Not much you can do at this point, and chances of survival are quite slim.

 

That's what I read but I regularly add extra copepods so there should be plenty of food. I also put in frozen rotifers occasionally just in case there isn't food. The starfish has been on the rocks in the last week too so it should've eaten. What do you think about amputation?

 

While there diet can be supplemented to a small extent its the bacterial film that comprises the mainstay of the Linckias diet. Supplemental feedings of meaty foods is usually not enough to sustain them.Most Starfish have dreadfull survival rates in the aquarium and IMO shouldn't even be sold.What size aquarium is this?Larger aquariums are a must for Linckia's because of there feeding habits.The only real way to save it is to transplant it to a tank with untouched biofilm but it already may be too late.Amputation will not solve the problem of starvation in your aquarium.

 

Right, the real issue is diet. They don't eat meaty foods. In fact, there's no real agreement on what exactly their diet is, but it's generally agreed it's some combination of film algae, sponges, and bacteria. None of which are something you can "add" to the tank.

The only way to be successful with a Linckia long term, is to add them to a large tank (150g or more) which is well established (2+ years). And even then, it doesn't always work.