Is my Orange Linckia Starfish Dying?

So, I set my tank up 2 months ago with cured rock, and water from the fish store. A month and a half ago I put in two fish, then some invert's. A week ago I added the Starfish. All the other fish/inverts/coral/anemones are fine. I feed them frozen brine shrimp and sometimes flakes.
Ammonia = 0
Nitrites = 0
Nitrates = 30
pH = 8.2
Salinity = 1.023
Temp = 79
There have been no changes in those values for about a month and a half.
Now, after a week the Starfish has this stringy stuff hanging off him, and a couple of his arms look like they're dying just at the ends. He also has small orange bubbles on his body. I noticed it after he was in the tank for only 3 or 4 days.
I acclimated him for 2 hours - looks like there is plenty of algae for him. Any suggestions of what (if anything) is wrong or how to treat it?
Here is a picture of him -
 

lion_crazz

Active Member
Unfortunately to say, the starfish is not going to make it much longer. The nitrates are much too high for a starfish like the delicate one you have, and the specific gravity is much too low. It should be around 1.026, ideally.
Also, the acclimation was not long enough either. It is going through osmotic shock right now. Delicate stars like the linckia species really need at least 4 hours, preferably 5 or 6.
 

thud

Member
I also read that these star fish eventually starve and are very delicate when it comes to fluctuating water parameters.
 

sepulatian

Moderator
Linkia's need 100+lbs of very mature LR. Your nitrates are way too high. You will see you corals begin to suffer if you do not get them under 10. You should have your SG at 1.026 for your corals and any inverts. Your system is way too young to support this kind of star. Linkia's do no accept prepared foods, they live off of mature rock. ANY star needs at least a 4hr drip acclimation. It is better to drip a Linkia for at least 5hrs because of their sensitivity to change. I am very sorry to say that he is not likely to survive.
 
Well, you were right. Link has passed. Poor lil feller - he's just a boy.

Oh, does this qualify for slatwaterfish.com's 15-day guarantee, or not?
Seems like it was pretty much my fault, so I don't know what the policy is on that...
So, the reasons he died were a short acclimation period, low SG, and high Nitrates -
I am now slowly increasing the salinity for my green ricordea mushroom polyps, and possible future invert's.
I also have 2 anemones, heniochus butterfly, colwnfish, and other small critters - I thought they needed to be between 1.020 and 1.025 SG. Will they still be happy with 1.026?

To lower nitrates, I changed 6 gallons of the 29 gallon tank - they don't seem to have gone down. Any other ways to lower nitrates?

Thanks-
 

sepulatian

Moderator

Originally Posted by davidkonicek
Well, you were right. Link has passed. Poor lil feller - he's just a boy.

Oh, does this qualify for slatwaterfish.com's 15-day guarantee, or not?
Seems like it was pretty much my fault, so I don't know what the policy is on that...
So, the reasons he died were a short acclimation period, low SG, and high Nitrates -
I am now slowly increasing the salinity for my green ricordea mushroom polyps, and possible future invert's.
I also have 2 anemones, heniochus butterfly, colwnfish, and other small critters - I thought they needed to be between 1.020 and 1.025 SG. Will they still be happy with 1.026?

To lower nitrates, I changed 6 gallons of the 29 gallon tank - they don't seem to have gone down. Any other ways to lower nitrates?

Thanks-
Take that heniochus back. That is a fish that won't even be happy as a baby in a 29. I mean no offence, but PLEASE, please research an animal before you buy. Natural ocean water can be from 1.024-1.028 depending on the sea. I keep mine at 1.026 that is the happy medium. Many others do as well. Fish are fine in that range. Any coral, anemone, star, and invert prefer 1.026. Fish alone can be at 1.023 or so. If you have non-fish (which you do) keep it at 1.026. To lower the nitrates, keep changing out 15% of the water every 3 days. In the future, stay on top of nitrate readings and do weekly water changes to keep them from getting this high.
 

coolguy818

Member
Here is a collaboration to this thread.
This weekend both my Brittle Stars disintegrated. Like infront of my eyes. Arms falling off, body section falling apart. It was a pretty sad sight. I took one of them out and the other i could not get out. As that was happening, i took a water test........Nitrates were ar 60ppm. :scared: :scared:
That was Friday. so Friday night I setup my water center and made a new batch of saltwater. Saturday morning I did a water change. 5 gallons for a 29 gallon tank. I also topped off the tank with another 2 gallons of fresh water (RO). Around 4pm I took a water test. Nitrates 40ppm. So I set up another new batch of Saltwater. And did another water change Sunday morning. Another 5 gallons.
Sunday afternoon Nitrates are still at 40ppm. And now some of the corals don't look good at all. My hardiest coral (Leather) has wilted and is on its side. And my Juvi Blue Hippo Tang is covered in parasites...........
I'm starting to think that Hobby might not be for me. Here are some other readings.
Ammonia - 0
Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - 40ppm
PH - 7.8-8.0 (fluctuates alot)
Temp - 78.2-80.1 (pretty steady)
Salinity - 1.026
Calcium - 460
Phosphates - 0
KH - 14 (pretty high due to using a buffer to try and raise PH)
Any insight would be appreciated. :help:
 
I wonder why the nitrates haven't gone below 40. Mine is kind of like that, it's hard to lower them even with water changes. Does anybody know of any other ways to lower nitrates?
Also, your pH is low, right?
I think it's supposed to be between 8.2 and 8.4. What do you use to measure your pH?
I use the strips but it's hard to tell what the true level is just based on the color - same with the Alkalinity measurement.
And.....WHY IS THIS SO HARD. Along with the starfish, I just had an anemone die, who really has no reason to have died. Before you know it, my tank will be empty again. I'm stabilizing the water as best I can, SGs just a little low and nitrates high.
 

coolguy818

Member
From what I have heard of this website, using the strip test are not recommended. I use API liquid test kits.
And its ok, I have also lost an Anemone (Sebae Anemone). He was pretty until it died. You are not the only one don't worry. But I would love to hear some other ways of lowering Nitrates.
 
I went to the fish store today and asked the guy about the SG level being at 1.026 like suggested for the starfish. He said the starfish would be fine, but other fish would eventually suffer from it being so high. He keeps his at 1.021 and is fine. He has fish, anemones, coral, invert's. I forgot to ask if he has a star though. I'm going to keep my SG at 1.024-25
And I just bought 18 gallons of distilled water to lower the nitrates and get the SG right.
 

nigerbang

Active Member
The lighting im about 95% sure is subpar for anem. Might want to see if you can trade them back and buy a nice book...
 
Top