Melting starfish :(

[Dixie_reefer]

I bought a Fromia milleporella a few days ago. The guy said to let the bag sit in the water for 15 minutes and dump him in and he will be fine. I thought o myself you are crazy. I got home and floated the bag, then debated how I was going to acclimate him. I heard that if you expose them to air they will die so I opted out of drip acclimation(mistake). I opened the bag and slowly added a little bit of tank water to the bag for an hour. Well yesterday I noticed on close to the tip of one of his arms that it looks like his "skin" is melting off. I read it can be from not acclimating them properly. I don't think he is going to make it. Is there anything I can do to help him?

 

[revhtree]

Actually you acclimated right and it wouldn't hurt to acclimate them even longer. Also exposing them to air for a short period of time will not harm them. This is another one of those tank myths!

Do you have any pics?

Is it possible he got an arm in a powerhead or pump?

 

[Dixie_reefer]

No he never went near the power head. Also, my corals have been unhappy since around the time I added the starfish. My zoas are closed and my duncan is also kind of closed which is not normal. My levels are a-0, no2-0, no3-20 ish. The trates are normally that high, I can't seem to lower them. I went ahead and did a 20% water change to see if that helps.

Right after I put him in: (saturday)

last night:

Today:

It is worse today than last night. Is it true that if the central disc is not affected he has a chance?

 

[Dixie_reefer]

Ok well now my frogspawn is expelling some kind of light brown goop. I'm starting to freak out a little. I've never had a problem with my tank. Everything was fine before I added the star. What should I do?

 

[Pkunk35]

I think both the coral and the starfish are reacting to the water quality, i guessing that the starfish couldn't be causing that kind of reaction from the coral. Could be from the high nitrate level as i believe invertebrate are sensitive to those levels.

I see you have a sandbed, do you vacuum regularly? This could be the source of your nitrates if this is not habitual.
In this situation if it were me and I could not find the source of nitrate immediately I would be doing small water changes either daily or every other day until those levels went back to normal (i believe 5 or under is ok) with judicious vacuuming of the gravel.

The starfish could make it i suppose, but in my experience once they start melting its too late.

GL with your tank and update the thread if you can.

 

[revhtree]

When was your last water change and do you have any mixed saltwater ready?

 

[Dixie_reefer]

My trate levels are always like that. It does not seem to effect my hermits and snails at all. And my corals are always out and happy. After the water change it lowered a bit. How do you vacuum the sand bed without sucking up all of the sand or just making the tank gross?

 

[Dixie_reefer]

I did a water change today. I just set up a little quarantine tank for the star. I siphoned out some water from the dt (about a gallon) and put it into a gallon size tank I had laying around. Also put a piece of live rock and an air stone in there to keep the water oxygenated. One of my zoa colonies has opened up since my last post so I'm hopeful things will turn around. Also put the powerhead in a new spot so maybe that will help in some way too.

 

[Dixie_reefer]

*those params I listed were before the water change

 

[Pkunk35]

Good to hear about the zoas.

I use this for vacuuming:

I suck up a bunch of gravel and when the large siphon tube is 1/2 full of gravel or so i plug up the exit part of the hose with my thumb to stop the siphon. This will cause the gravel to fall back to the sand bed, i then continue siphoning and this will suck up all the cruddy water still left in the siphon tube.

 

[Dixie_reefer]

Thanks, I might have to do that!

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

How old is the tank?

 

[Dixie_reefer]

Not very old, got it wet in June. Never had a problem yet besides this (knock on wood) strange thing is, not all of my corals are unhappy, my hynophroa, gsp, sun coral, 2 favias, candy canes, and even my goni look perfectly fine. Only my duncan, frogspawn, and my zoas look effected. My fish look fine also.

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

I would recommend removing the starfish. Fromia starfish get most of their nutrients from a bacterial film that is found in seasoned tanks. They will sometimes accept meaty foods, but that does not provide them with enough nutrition.

As for the frogspawn, you may want to look into brown jelly disease.

 

[slugwall]

Remember if you vacuum the substrate to go slow and easy or you'll more problems. Good luck and hope is well soon.

 

[Dixie_reefer]

I don't know if its brown jelly disease, I looked at pictures of it and it doesn't quite look like that. And the stuff was coming from the mouth. It hasnt done it since earlier and it wan't a whole lot. The starfish is in it's own qt tank. I doubt the lfs will take it back so I'm just going to have to wait to see what happens with him. I will keep an eye on everything in the tank and give yall an update in the morning.

 

[Pkunk35]

I don't know if its brown jelly disease, I looked at pictures of it and it doesn't quite look like that. And the stuff was coming from the mouth. It hasnt done it since earlier and it wan't a whole lot. The starfish is in it's own qt tank. I doubt the lfs will take it back so I'm just going to have to wait to see what happens with him. I will keep an eye on everything in the tank and give yall an update in the morning.

I think it is discharging zooxanthallae or waste, i wouldn't worry too much unless you see actual slime or tissue recession.

 

[Dixie_reefer]

I added my bio wheel 100 to add a little more flow to the tank. The powerhead I have is a 540 BUT I got it used and it doesn't seem all that powerful to me.

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

I think it is discharging zooxanthallae or waste, i wouldn't worry too much unless you see actual slime or tissue recession.

I agree. It doesn't sound like brown jelly to me.

 

[Dixie_reefer]

The star died over night. My frogspawn and duncan seem a little better this morning. My blastos and a few of my zoa colonies are still closed up. I'm going to run some carbon in the tank for a few days and see if it helps any.