Help My Brittel!

[55 gal newbie]

my green brittel seems to be weak and is not moving around much,he is stating to lose his littel spikes or spines on his legs !my water test r good what could be wrong?

 

[iechy]

What are your water parameters? How long has it been in there?
The not moving is not unusual as they are nocturnal and mine always returs to the same spot during the day so it looks like he never moves but when I look at night with a flashlight he is moving around.

 

[55 gal newbie]

ammonia 0,ph8.2,nitrate0,nitrite0,sal. 1.023
is it normall for all the spines on his legs to come off?they look like littel wiskers and most have fallen off his legs

 

[buzz]

I really don't know much about starfish...Ophiura is the one you really want help from.
But I have heard people say that this can happen due to starvation. Have you been feeding the star?

 

[mikegronholz]

I would say offer some food to it. My brittles will NOT come off the rocks for anything (the serpents come down when food hits the water). Ibreak up a piece or 2 of shrimp pellet and put it near them (move slow or they'll run off). They can "sense" it is there. If the star is hungry, it will wrap it up in a curly leg (you'll know it when you see it). If it is not really hungry, it will grab on and move it towards the disc and the food will just sit there and wait...until a crab takes it away or something. Good luck, I've lost a brittle and it's not fun !!!

 

[iechy]

I haven't really heard of the little spikes falling off. I have heard of losing legs but that is all. You might want to post a thread with Ophiura's name in it. That is who you want to talk to about any starfish questions as I believe he/she does research with them.

 

[55 gal newbie]

thanks for the help guys he still in bad shape and all the water seema fine,he does not want to eat any thing from me.he will not move unless you touch him, does not look good,now he has got a whit spot on top of him looks like a wound?i have never hand feed him.always let him eat left overs.any ideas on some food he may like?

 

[mikegronholz]

Within about 24 hours of mine getting the "wound" he passed to the ocean in the sky.

Sorry