pep shrimp & star
- Thread starter reavely
- Start date
clarkiiboi
Active Member
All inverts will not tolerate copper, so yes you are right. Now that you have used copper keep in mind that this tank will always have copper trapped in it. I have very minimal knowledge of stars so this is to bump you, maybe ophiura will see it---she knows her stars! If you cant get any other info, try reposting and put her name in the topic. HTH
rook
Member
If you have a refugium you may be able to put the star in there. Why do you think the star is injured in the first place??
Tell us about your setup. Does the star have enough food? How long have you had it? It may be dieing and there may be nothing you can do. But, hopefully we can figure out what is wrong an save it.
If not you will need to remove the star completely. You could donate it to someone with a harlequin shrimp.
Tell us about your setup. Does the star have enough food? How long have you had it? It may be dieing and there may be nothing you can do. But, hopefully we can figure out what is wrong an save it.
If not you will need to remove the star completely. You could donate it to someone with a harlequin shrimp.
reavely
Member
By the time I got home today the peppermints had eaten him through to the center... really bummed. I'm not sure how he got injured in the first place, it started as a kink near the tip of one leg that eventually became a dangling piece that eventually got sloughed off. The tip of the appendage seemed to be healing fine for a week or so but then the shrimp went after it and ate it down within a few days (could the hermits, or emeralds have participated?). At first I tought they might be "cleaning" it, but the day before yesterday I noticed a significant amount was chewed down. anyone have any idea how the "kink" may have occured? The star had plenty of sand and algae to sift through and eat and appeared to be otherwise quite healthy. I'm wary about getting another until I know what might have happened.
mourning the fallen star, Rev
mourning the fallen star, Rev
reavely
Member
The DSB is about 3-4 inches, running with live rock for 3 months, with fish 2 months. I had put in 2lbs of live sand after a week with the live rock in it. then added the sand star a week after the first fish came in ( I started with 5 cromies). I assumed he ate algae as that was in the description I got of them and I spotted him a few times scaling the tank wall and leaving a clean path behind.
leviwin
Member
my peppermint shrimp did the same thing to my sand sifting starfish. One day the starfish got up and moved around and the shrimp just started to attack him. I ended up trading the starfish before things got to ugly. I thought I was the only one it ever happen to. I have also seen peppermint shrimp attacking a chocolate chip star fish at the lfs. So I guess it happens every once in a while. I would sure be interested to find out why it happend though.
kimkissyfish
Member
Not to sound stupid BUT.. I have 6 peppermints in my tanks, but I forgot WHY I bought them.. I remember being at the LFS and talking with teh LFS guy and he suggested Peppermints... I HATE them in my tank, they remind me of Bees buzzing around, they attack everything... Although they have been behaving lately...
What is thier purpose?? Was it maybe bubble algea?? Hmmm I didnt have aptasia, so I dont think I bought them for that!
Thanking you kindly, Kim
What is thier purpose?? Was it maybe bubble algea?? Hmmm I didnt have aptasia, so I dont think I bought them for that!
Thanking you kindly, Kim
rook
Member
Well it is possible that it was stressed out from the acclimation. Two hours is good, but four is recommended as the minimum. I am not entirely sure about the do not let them touch air. I have heard both sides to that. It is also possible that it did not have enough to eat, but usually it takes longer than a month or two to starve. Possibly it could have been dieing when you bought it.
There are quite a few possibiliies unfortunetaly.
BTW, shrimp, be it peppermint or cleaner shrimp, are all beneficial. They all are "cleaners" in that they eat dead or dieing critters in the tank before the critters decompose and foul the tank water. The shrimp typically do not kill starfish, or other animals but once the star starts to die, the shrimp will gladly use it as a meal. They actually do you a favor. You don't want the star or whatever crawling into the back of the tank and rotting.
There are quite a few possibiliies unfortunetaly.
BTW, shrimp, be it peppermint or cleaner shrimp, are all beneficial. They all are "cleaners" in that they eat dead or dieing critters in the tank before the critters decompose and foul the tank water. The shrimp typically do not kill starfish, or other animals but once the star starts to die, the shrimp will gladly use it as a meal. They actually do you a favor. You don't want the star or whatever crawling into the back of the tank and rotting.
reavely
Member
thanks for helping me think through it, I'm going to do more research before I get another star. though the linkias and fromias are prettier, I liked to watch tyhe sand star submerge and rise in different parts of the sand - besides its functional benifits. The peppermints are definately going to stay, they clean-up what the fish don't eat and scavenge for parasites as well. oh well, thanks again!
ophiura
Active Member
What are your water parameters, especially pH, alk and specific gravity? Did you do any recent water changes?
IMO, you tank is far too young for any seastars, and this may have been the ultimate cause of its stress and demise. The signs - the 'disintegration' - are not characteristic of an injury, they are characteristic of stress- either osmotic, or starvation. Starvation typically occurs after 9-12 months, but since your tank was so new, who knows.
I do not recommend, as a general rule, sand sifting stars which eat the good critters in live sand, and are far from beneficial, IMO.
I am not above begging
PLEASE do not get another seastar until the tank is at least 6 months old. Especially not a Linckia or Fromia, which are far more delicate than sand sifters, and have incredibly specialized diets. They require very mature LR, and lots of it. Blue Linckia, and any species of Fromia, may not be suitable choices for your tank. Most Linckia and Fromia will die of starvation 9-12 months after introduction into a tank...I really can not emphasize enough the need for selecting an appropriate species and individual for your situation.
IMO, you tank is far too young for any seastars, and this may have been the ultimate cause of its stress and demise. The signs - the 'disintegration' - are not characteristic of an injury, they are characteristic of stress- either osmotic, or starvation. Starvation typically occurs after 9-12 months, but since your tank was so new, who knows.
I do not recommend, as a general rule, sand sifting stars which eat the good critters in live sand, and are far from beneficial, IMO.
I am not above begging
PLEASE do not get another seastar until the tank is at least 6 months old. Especially not a Linckia or Fromia, which are far more delicate than sand sifters, and have incredibly specialized diets. They require very mature LR, and lots of it. Blue Linckia, and any species of Fromia, may not be suitable choices for your tank. Most Linckia and Fromia will die of starvation 9-12 months after introduction into a tank...I really can not emphasize enough the need for selecting an appropriate species and individual for your situation.
reavely
Member
Thanks, I'll follow that adivise. I gather the injury may have come from mishandling the star at acclimation, but it's demise from both a combo of young tank and agressive shrimp. No drastic water changes or shifts in the parameters occured, everything seemed pretty steady, except for a gradual increas in temp over about two weeks (78 to 82) - I need to get ac in this room quick (it's up to 82 in the tank and rising).