it's starting to freak me out

killafins

killafins

Active Member
someone who gave me really good advice told me that when a starfish curls up towards the top of the tank its trying to test the water. Is there anything i need to worry about with this? It's starting to worry me when my cc starfish keeps doing this and looks like its dying...
 
acez28

acez28

Member
my chocolate chip did that when it was hungry......actually that is where it was most of the time. Never heard of someone saying they are testing they water......
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
It is not 'testing' the water...that is not what I meant. It might mean they are 'smelling' the water, looking for food, which jives with AceZ28. Tube feet are, among other things, chemosensory structures. I am not positive that is what they are doing, but...
How did you get food to it?
How much did you feed it?
Did you do a water change?
What are your water parameters?
Has it moved?
A shrimp pellet or two placed near the arm should have been sufficient.
I believe you also mentioned last night that your shrimp was picking at this chocolate chip star, which is not a good sign.
How long have you had it? Did you add it within the month?
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Also, any color change on the star?
Have you added anything to the tank?
Stupid question, but were your hands clean and well rinsed when putting them in the tank, and moving the star?
Anything other odd things in the tank recently, deaths, etc?
Are you running any carbon?
Could anything have gotten into your tank that wasn't normally in it?
I am doing some more research on this...
And yes, the gut looking stuff in the middle of the star on the side facing the sand is its stomach, and it digests food outside the body. That is pretty normal.
Editting stuff:
Did you add this star within the last week? This time frame, coupled with this behavior, along with the picking by the shrimp, is a concern. It may be suffering from acclimation shock. How long did you acclimate it? CC are tough stars, so we will hope for the best here.
 
killafins

killafins

Active Member
yes, i rinse my hands first and i have had the guy for like a week. I have never heard of this word accumation? I just keep him in the bag, add some water, wait, add some water and then wait and so on and so forth for an hour. Ummm, no color change and the shrimp has left it alone. Ummmm, and he has moved a little bit, not much... and i just found the shrimp harassing him again and he feels wrinkly and slimmey... pleas help!!!
 
killafins

killafins

Active Member
yeah but she is stiff, oh man... my water parameters are fine and i did just do a water change but she was all fine until i put her on the shrimp pellet because the arrow crab would steal the pellet before she moved onto it
 
killafins

killafins

Active Member
so there is nothing to worry about, how about u ophioura? nething dramatic, u seem to ask me questions that may help. Please, if u know anything...
 
killafins

killafins

Active Member
She looks sluggish, like she's dead. When I moved her she felt stiff, i could have sworn she was dead. Her intestine things are still hanging out. My salt was EXTREMELY high, i did an incoreect water change, omg. I put her in a breeding net so that she can heal on her own and the cammel back shrimp will leave her alone. I don't know what else to do... She don't look good... She don't look goood. Please, help!
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
How much of a change in salinity was there? I just sent an email off to you. Good move to remove it from the reaches of the shrimp, which can really pester them. FWIW, a stiff seastar is better than a squishy one. Any chance for a picture? When you mean the intestines, you mean the puffy area...kinda like a brownish crinckled up bit of plastic wrap, kind like this:
From: http://redbaron.bishops.ntc.nf.ca/we...trp/echino.htm
 
killafins

killafins

Active Member
Yes, it looks like that but it isn't blown up like that... this morning she looked ughy type.. and I meant stiff as like STIFF man...
 
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