sickBrittle star

sltwtrfan

Member
A few days ago I purchased a Brittle Star and today I noticed his top side was slightly torn open. After coming home from class this evening, his whole top side is almost all the way ripped open... Could this sea star have been sick from the get go or did the move make him stressed out? I'm pissed at my LFS, they don't have the best water and filtration system I'm sure!!! :mad: :help:
 

sltwtrfan

Member
I drip acclimated him... I read that they aren't supposed to be exposed to air and I'm not sure how my LFS took him out of the tank.
 

sltwtrfan

Member
My sg is 1.024... my water parameters were undetectable/zero when i put him in... i've had class all day so i haven't been able to check again.
I must have dripped acclimated for at least an hour.
 

sltwtrfan

Member
hopefully what will chime in? haha. what is osmotic shock exactly? is there any hope for this poor sea star? I just tested Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrites... All reading Zero.
 

reefreak29

Active Member
osmotik shock is salinity shock. usually occurs in short acclimation times under 3 hours.your star could be experiencing ph shock,fungal or bacterial infection .theres no way to reverse this
 

reefreak29

Active Member
Originally Posted by Sltwtrfan
so do you think i should just take him out? it is a lost cause right?
no leave him in and observe. if it passes take him out right away
 

sltwtrfan

Member
as of now, he is having a very hard time staying right side up and he moves his limbs every once and awhile. he's probably been in the same spot for the past 10 minutes. Thanks for all your help reefreak. this hobby sure is frustrating sometimes.
 

hatessushi

Active Member
If the LFS water was of poor quality then your acclimation time I would think should have been at least 2 to 3 hours. I have a brittle and a serpent (pretty much the same thing) and I acclimated them each for about 4 hours when I got them at different time and places. They both acted like they were dead. When I first put them in they seemd ok but after little while stopped moving and once in a while I would notice and arm move a bit. I left them alone for a few day and eventually they moved more and more. Now 6 months later they are doing fine. I hardly ever see the serpent but the brittle comes out to eat at feeding time and he has grown to twice the size of when I got him. He is about 12 inches from the tip of the arm to the tip of the opposite arm.
I would say just give it some time like 2 or 3 days and see what happens. You might also try spot feeding it if it starts moving. Stars are extremely sensitive to changes in water parameters which would include pH, temp, sg, ammon, nitrites, nitrates, alk and probably more.
 
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