orange linkia dying

[brock]

I have had this linkia for just over one week now, I was told that they eat algae, well I made the mistake of puting it into my QT which is spotless, no algae at all, well it was traveling all over the tank, I assume looking for food, but there was none. it looked good for one week, yesterday it wasn't moving much, and this morning it looks all shrivled, and still isn't moving...
I put him into the DT were he should have lots of food, I will have to see how it does over the next hours or days, I am wondering if there is anything I can do to help it, or is it a life or death situation that I can do nothing about... any help will be greatly appreciated...THANKS

 

[bdhough]

linkia are not an easy starfish to keep. i honestly cannot remember why that is but i think it does have something to do with their diet. try a search on linkias and maybe someone will post why as well.

 

[brock]

well I guess I made the sophamoric mistake of not doing enough research on this starfish, I did a search and in 2 minutes found all the info I need, My tank is not a suitable orange linckia host tank. it is only a 55 and only has like 50 pounds of live rock in it and it is only 9 months old, I guess it is just going to die, :sleepy: :sleepy: I hate knowingly contributing to the death of a beautiful animal. I don't even know a person with a suitable tank for it, *&#@!?...bugga
if anyone has some advice I need it...
sincerily a very sad person...
:nope:

 

[scribben]

i had the same problem where did you find the information or better yet what requirements for a linkia? i lost my deep purple linkia and couldnt figure out why

 

[h2oengr]

I hate to add fuel to the fire, but we just lost our blue linkia too. Our tank had plenty of algae, but not mature enough - I'm guessing. It was only 6 months old. Yes, very very sad.
I posted something about stars about a week ago and got nothing, I mean no answer what so ever. I thought certainly that someone here would have a clue about stars in reef tanks.
Everything I've read about them though is that they are good additions to reef tanks. Of course there are certain types of fish and shrimp that pick at them, but they are reef safe. Sorry I can't be more helpful. :notsure:
I think I hear the faint sound of "taps" . . . .

 

[brock]

well I am not getting any of the big dogs to bite either, that is probably beacuse they know that I know he is done for. TO find info in this place, all you have to do is a search on a topic, at the bottom of th ereef forum, or any forum, there is a search, type orange linckia and click go. that is what I should have done, they need huge tanks with huge amounts of live rock to forage...

 

[bdhough]

linkia are the safest reef starfish out there. ophiura is a starfish guru. maybe you could talk with her if she's still around. starfish in general are big garbage dumps. they can eat and eat and eat. most require huge amounts of food that the average tank cannot supply on its own. sand sifting stars, brittles, linkias, choco chips, etc. most need to be supplementally fed, especially the first two, or they will not survive in yoru average tanks.

 

[legend]

what should you feed linkias then?

 

[bdhough]

i just know what i know. do a search on them and youll find out, im not entirely sure. starfish eat everything from fish crap to fresh shrimp from the store.

 

[mary]

I have not been able to find much about Linkias. Really, no one knows much about them. Nothing in the library. Mine lasted for two weeks,in an 8 yr. old, well established tank. Over 100 lbs. of LR. Lots to forage for.
What my LFS told me was that they come from a much higher salinity, much cooler waters than what we can give them; that to acclimate them means a time of a couple of weeks, not hours. Can not stand feeling like I let a pet down. Feel totally irresponsible when something does not do well.. Very sorry you lost yours.
It was shipped to me in water that did not even cover it. I wonder if that was not a part of it als, or that is the way they are to be shipped. I do not know.

 

[birdy]

All I know is that it is not algae that the linka's eat it is a bacteria film that is on your LR and you must have tons and tons of it in a huge tank for linka's to survive

 

[enomadra]

Originally posted by Birdy
All I know is that it is not algae that the linka's eat it is a bacteria film that is on your LR and you must have tons and tons of it in a huge tank for linka's to survive
I am by no means an expert on Linka's, but in the corse of reading this board I got the impression that only the blue Linka's needed 100lbs or over of live rock?
If this Linka does eat alge (again I am not sure) could'nt you get some sinking alge waffers and drop them by him to see if he starts chowing down?:notsure:

 

[birdy]

As far as I know it is all Linka's they don't eat algae like the stuff you see growing in your tank, they eat this film of bacteria and algae that is on your rocks.
If you are looking for info on starfish look do a search for ophiura, she used to post here and she was an expert on starfish.

 

[mary]

Thank you Birdy!