anything wrong with my CC star fish?

[peckhead]

here are some pictures. they arent that good but it what i got. look at the tip of his arm...see how it looks like it is pealing or something and turning white? what is this?

 

[michaeltx]

how long have you had it and how did you acclimate it to your tank?
looks like the start of the end stages of osmotic shock to me.
Mike

 

[peckhead]

i have had it for over 2 months. what is osmotic shock? does that mean its gonna die?

 

[1journeyman]

You might wait for Ophiura to show up... but I'm curious how healthy CC is for stars.
Post your tank details, water parameters, and how long it's been up.

 

[ophiura]

Yup, need specific tank parameters, but I will say for sure the tank is too young. In general tanks should be 6 months old minimum before getting a seastar. Also what and how often do you feed?
Recent water changes or any major water quality issues?
But specific parameters are critical.

 

[peckhead]

all my params are good. they always have been. sg about 1.025-6 ph 8+ everything else 0. cal about 460 maybe a little less..phos 2.
is CC bad for stars? i have cc ontop of LS (didnt no at the time it was a bad idea)
recently added a second large hermit crab. about 1.5" shell. he is like eating the star or something...he is on top of him. ever since i watched him fall from the top of the tank on the glass to the bottom.
should i just take him out?

 

[peckhead]

see

 

[peckhead]

as u can kinda see he is getting more and more white spots on the points on him.
and as for feeding him. i dont really feed him anything. i figured he just ate algea and food that doesnt get ate. was i sadly mistaken? and what should i do now....

 

[royal gang]

...chocolate chip stars are carnivores feed him brine shrimp, or mysis ANYTHING WOULD BE GOOD AT THIS CRITICAL POINT!!

 

[peckhead]

how do i feed him when he is at the bottom of the tank on the ground? he ate some of a algea waffer earlier. now both crabs are eating him....

 

[royal gang]

NO!! feed him by putting it on his bottom, on the little tentacles, don't let them eat him, he's probably still alive :scared:

 

[peckhead]

i put him in a different tank. and i took the crab out too because he was making all sorts of problems by fighting with the other crab

 

[peckhead]

Originally Posted by ROYAL GANG
NO!! feed him by putting it on his bottom, on the little tentacles, don't let them eat him, he's probably still alive :scared:

should i turn him upside down and just put the food on him?

 

[royal gang]

i don't really know that much about stars but he's probly hungry, i would just lift him, out the food, and put him on the food, im not sure though, and by the way... how did you put him in the other aquarium??? did u acclimate it? :scared: :scared:

 

[hot883]

Again, research is a wonderful thing especially when done BEFORE 1 buys a new addition.
CC stars eat snails, crabs etc. they are not reef safe. Yes, you can feed him by placing a meaty substance in front of him. DO NOT turn him over and try to feed him that way. Barry

 

[peckhead]

well so far, not saying that it doesnt happen but my trigger, puffer and CC star dont eat any snails or hermits or anything. the trigger sometimes trys to eat snails but mostly just throws them across the tank. the pet store said the star eats algea. thats why i got it.

 

[royal gang]

theyll tell u that you can make a camel go thru the hole of a pinhead, they just want your $

 

[sepulatian]

How did you originally acclimate him? Did you acclimate him into the qt? Any large fluctuations recently in temp, salinity, or other? They are carnivores not herbivores. I am sorry your lfs told you that and they are not at all reef safe. Do a search on CC stars. They also do need mature systems as Ophiura pointed out. I am not quite sure what you can do for him at this point.

 

[royal gang]

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[garnet13aj]

I made the same mistake you did of buying him prematurely because I was told by a variety of people that cc stars are hardy.
I've had him for about 1 month and he seems to be doing fine, we'll see I guess.
Anyway, I have mine in cc substrate and I don't think it's bad for them--they climb on rocks it can't be any more uncomfortable.
For future reference, if yours lives and you put him back in the display tank I feed mine cleaner clams from the grocery store as well as scallops. The clams are great because they help stir the sand bed and when the cc star is hungry he gets on top of a clam, pries it open, and feeds to his heart's desire.
Good luck, I hope everything works out.
If someone knows, what are the signs of osmotic shock so I know what to look for. So far, he seems to be doing great.