Is There Something Wrong With My Green Brittle Starfish?

[extinct 1ne]

Well, I noticed that my Green Brittle Starfish lost part of one of his arms (I could tell that it got caught between the glass and a piece of live rock). Now I am noticing more increments of his arm falling off (I can see them in the tank), and now another arm is starting to lose little increments. On top of that, I see some of the "spiney" things on his arms are missing...what is going on?

 

[extinct 1ne]

...anyone?

 

[yosemite sam]

Tell us more about your setup? Tank size, water parameters, equipment, etc. How long have you had the star? How did you acclimate it?

 

[extinct 1ne]

Yosemite Sam -Acclimation:I'm going to be honest, I didn't acclimate, I just floated the bag for 30 min and let the Starfish in. I doubt this is the reason, because he started to lose more increments of his arm(s) when he got his leg caught the first time (between glass and rock).
Tank Size:
55 Gallon; 10 Gallon Refugium
Lighting:
Current USA Nova T-5 Retrofit Strip Lights (~70w Total) in Canopy w/ Reflectors
Water Parameters:
Specific Gravity - 1.024-1.025 (when he started losing his arms it was around 1.021-1.022)
Ph - 8.0-8.2 (when he started losing his arms it was around 7.8-8.0)
Nitrate - 0
Nitrite - 0
Ammonia - 0
I've had the Star since March-April.

 

[rlablan]

What other critters do you have in there with the star... Are you 100% sure that he is not being bullied or that he isn't getting caught in a return or a hose or another piece of equipment?

 

[extinct 1ne]

rlablan - No, I never see him getting bullied...The only other inverts I have is an Anemone and a Turbo Snail... The Anemone doesn't hurt him though. Ohh and he always hangs out in the rockwork...

 

[rlablan]

hmm, well I can't help you then... That was my only thought. I can't talk much, since My crab was just seen eating another one.... lil brat.

(I saved the others...)
GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[ophiura]

A specific gravity of 1.021 is fatally low and now doubt caused the loss of arms, IMO. If you have brought it up, the hope is that it will stop losing arms like this. But be sure not to go below 1.024.
If you have a trigger, puffer or large wrasse, these are predators of stars and are also issues. If you have large crabs, this could also be a problem.
THey hang out in the rocks during the day, usually at night they will come out more