CC starfish

[sharlagnew]

my chocolate star has been getting this reddish brown stuff on his body, it doesn't rub off or i would think he's getting algae he is normally a light off white color with dark chips but there are now brownish smudges in between his legs kind of in a V shape ya know? I was wondering if somthing is wrong with him or if he is just aging, i've had him for about 6 months now. thanks

 

[sw65galma]

Originally Posted by SharlagneW
my chocolate star has been getting this reddish brown stuff on his body, it doesn't rub off or i would think he's getting algae he is normally a light off white color with dark chips but there are now brownish smudges in between his legs kind of in a V shape ya know? I was wondering if somthing is wrong with him or if he is just aging, i've had him for about 6 months now. thanks
I don't know...all I do know is star fish don't really "Age"

 

[ophiura]

It is possible that as it matures the colors are changing...it happens in many species. To be sure that there is not too much to worry about, can you post specifics on your water parameters, tank age, inhabitants, what and how often you feed the star?

 

[sharlagnew]

nitrates 20, nitrites 0, ammonia 0, ph 8.3, kh 13, it is about 7 months old, fully cycled everything else in the tank is doing quite well. I feed the starfish freezed dried shrimp (the kind they feed anemonies) about 3 times a week or whenever he starts roaming around the corals

 

[sharlagnew]

oh-- inhabitants: 1 fireshrimp, 1 peppermint shrimp, 1 green serpent star, 1 emerald crab, 1 blue legged hermit crab (starfish ate the other 4 i had) 4 snails (maybe 5 not sure) and some polyps and a mushroom that hitchhiked in oh and 2 tiny anemonies-also hitchhikers

 

[bchdfldian]

What's your salinity/spec. gravity?
Lot of nitrates in there.

 

[sharlagnew]

yeah i know, can't get them to go down i do water changes like crazy... my salinity is 1.024 i think (i'm at work now)

 

[sharlagnew]

i will so switch places with you.... I'm from TX and i love it there

 

[sharlagnew]

but i'm sure its nothing compared to FL

 

[ophiura]

Your nitrates, IMO, are high but not fatal...your specific gravity is on the low side - are you measuring with a hydrometer or refractometer? CC stars are relatively tough and this salinity is not, IMO, fatal...but potentially stressful if it gets lower.