Brittle Star loosing it's arms

rykna

rykna

Active Member
I have a green brittle star(gbs) in my 55 sump.

~60lbs cultured sand from storage( reseeded myself w/pods)
~135lbs boiled rock
I got the gbs to start the cycling in the sump. I've been feeding him krill, mysis, and sinking shrimp pellets. The gbs did great for two weeks. Then I purchased two 3 spot domino damsels.Things went fine for a week. Now 4 weeks into the cycling the gbs, in a span of 3-4 days, section by section the arms fell apart. The gbs has only one arm left, all the rest are stubs.
All levels were with in range. However, there was a ammonia spike. Could this be the cause of the gbs loosing limbs?
Amazingly, the star is still alive and feeding. I've continued with the usual "tank cycling water changes".
 
mr_x

mr_x

Active Member
i would be willing to bet that the cycle is killing him.
did you say you got him to cycle the tank?
 
rykna

rykna

Active Member
Originally Posted by Mr_X
http:///forum/post/2725026
i would be willing to bet that the cycle is killing him.
did you say you got him to cycle the tank?
Yes...Since the rock and sand in the tank have been cycled used in other tanks I wasn't expecting the basic tank cycle. But I certainly hear what you're saying. I think the main mistake was adding the dominoes, which I think caused the ammonia spike. My current thought is to move the brittle star into a hospital tank, and put the star back in another 2-3 weeks.
Besides some TLC and enriched food to help grow his limbs back, is there anything else I can do for him?
 
t316

t316

Active Member
Correct, the brittle is not the best choice for cycling a tank. However, it is not uncommon that they lose a leg(s), and they usually grow back. But if he is losing them due to stress (dieing), then no, they won't grow back. He will be dead in a week. Move him to the QT as you suggested until the tank is a month or two old.
 
rykna

rykna

Active Member
Originally Posted by T316
http:///forum/post/2725093
Correct, the brittle is not the best choice for cycling a tank. However, it is not uncommon that they lose a leg(s), and they usually grow back. But if he is losing them due to stress (dieing), then no, they won't grow back. He will be dead in a week. Move him to the QT as you suggested until the tank is a month or two old.
Will do
Thankyou
 
zeke92

zeke92

Active Member
you said the other arms are stubs. were the stubs all that was left after the arms fell off or did they grow back and are now stubs? that could change the answer around a bit.
 
rykna

rykna

Active Member
Originally Posted by zeke92
http:///forum/post/2725226
you said the other arms are stubs. were the stubs all that was left after the arms fell off or did they grow back and are now stubs? that could change the answer around a bit.
The stubs were what was left after the arms fell off.
 
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