Opihura - Help ! / Anyone - Starfish help!!

[keonia]

Opihura - I recently got a red starfish - formite (Sp) because it's little and it doesn't get big. Well, after 2 weeks of being in my tank, I noticed remnants of her coming off. Like red goey stuff on the LR. I checked my water parameters
Salinity - 1.025
PH - 8.2
Nitrate - .25
Nitrite - .10
Ammonia - .50
Temp - 80
tank - been up for 8 months now 37 gallon
I did a 20% water change and the star seems to look a little better but can you tell me whats that goey stuff and is there a chance that she will recover?
She's clinging to my LR tighter than before the water change and she has the black spots on her body - the normal spots.

 

[danedodger]

I'm not Opihura and I'll warn you, I have no experience and only a bit of info on these guys but... Your nitrites and ammonia definitely need to go away. You did good doing a water change and hopefully brought your nitrates down (they weren't sky high but try to keep them below 20 at all times, as close to 0 as possible) Why do you still have trites and ammonia in there? Those should be 0. You may've added the guy too soon. I think the rest of your numbers are ok. MAYBE (don't change it till someone more experienced with this comes along) the salinity and pH could go up just a tiny bitsy smidge? I really think those're good where they're at for stars though.
I don't know if the one you have is one of those harder to keep/more delicate stars but if so that may be one problem. Hard to keep/delicate invert + not quite there water parameters = uh oh!
If she's basically "decaying" right in front of your eyes then something in the water parameters is definitely not quite right, I'd say. But I'm also pretty sure that if you get those water parameters up to specs she'll recover if she's not too far gone. I do know that stars have some pretty amazing regenerative powers so there's hope!!
Best of luck to you and your lil star!!!!!! :cheer:

 

[keonia]

THanks DaneDodger
Well, when she was added, water parameters were good. I ended up cleaning my protein skimmer and the water change seemed to help so far. She's looking good but I was wondering if the starshark could give me some insight because she's soo experienced with starfishes!! I'm really wanting to know what was that goey red stuff on the rock and if my stars going to get better. So far she looks good but its kinda scary seeing some yuck on the rock.
Thanks for your input!
OOOOO PPPPP III HHHUUUUU RRRAAAA !

 

[ophiura]

Fromia need VERY large tanks, similar to a Linckia, and PRISTINE water conditions. So that is a big problem right there. They also need VERY LONG acclimations.
Many will die within a month of acclimation shock...and many more within a year of starvation. Don't let the small size fool you, they need big tanks. IMO, 55g minimum, and I still think they need bigger one's. Some will survive in smaller systems for sure...but success increases with larger tank size.
Your description does not sound really good. Is it parts of the arms that are breaking? Any "melting" is a sign of acclimation shock..and for sure the water quality is a major concern. But only time will tell at this point. Be sure to keep those parameters as good as possible and avoid large water changes at any given time.

 

[keonia]

that guy at the LFS LIED to me!! he said they can even live in Nano's!!
Well, opi - I had a phosphate problem & nitrate -- I lost her she dropped to the bottom of the tank.

Parameters are better now.
Lesson learned, at least it wasnt a big big lost! financially. I hear ya -- Do your research FIRST!!
Oh, you know, I finally saw my black brittle as she came out of her rock one day -- she's pretty. She has tan stripes and she looks great!!! I never knew black brittles had those tan stripes! My green is also looking nice too!

 

[littlebuck]

dont feel bad your lfs wasnt the only one they lied to i was told that i could have it in my 29 gallon tank and could have it with in the 1st couple months of my tank up and running. I know he should be in a bigger tank but i think if i take him back they will sell him to some one else that might have a small tank and he will end up dieing. Since i got mine hes gotten a little bit bigger so i think hes doing well .

 

[keonia]

Congrats LIttlebuck - I think I may have had mine longer if the water parameters weren't bad. Lesson learned huh?

 

[littlebuck]

yes but the LFS should not seel soemthing if they know it may die. But from what i saw yesterday i was a little mad at this one guy. When he sold this lady a panter grouper, lion and a tang and 2 clowns. I really didnt hear what she had for a tank at 1st and then i asked her you must have a pretty good sixe tank for all of those fish and it must have been set up for a long time to put 4 fish in there at once and then all these fish and she told me that she had a 30 long. LOL i haev heard everything now. I told her she might wnat to rethink what she is buying.

 

[keonia]

I wonder if she bought those fishies.. they wont last very long all in the same tank!
there was a thread on here that elaborated what lfs people say -- the craziest things!!
are youi going to try to find a new home for your formite?
Hey, how long you lived in Jacksonville? Omg, I was just there this past March spring break. Friend is stationed there. That is a total Pepsi & no amberbock town!! But I had fun in NC while I was there!

 

[littlebuck]

well i have been here for 7 years to long LOL. No i cant get rid of him now my wife and daughter like him to much and i dont know anyone around here that i would want to give it to. And i really dont want to ship it anywhere. I told her if she was gonig to buy them, if she would just give me the money because it would be like throwing it away anyways. And she was like why is that i said you will be good with the 2 clowns but the otehrs i wouldnt not get them and the guy said well why is that i was like you are gonig to sell her fish that wil not and should not go in that small of tank and he was like why not? I was like because that cruel and not fair. So she didnt buy them. He also told her that she should have a Freshwater tank set up incase her fish gets ick that way she could just put the fish in the other tank and let him swin around in there for a while. I have heard of a FW dip but swim around in it for a couple mins come on. Maybe you can but thats werid.