Starfish.Dead.Dying?HELP

[lvmtn2day]

I got a star fish not to long ago. I think about 2 weeks. Probaly more. Anyway it doesn't seem to be "happy". help I dont want him to die.
:help: :help: :help:

 

[chipmaker]

i.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by lvmtn2day
I got a star fish not to long ago. I think about 2 weeks. Probaly more. Anyway it doesn't seem to be "happy". help I dont want him to die.
:help: :help: :help:
What kind of star do you have and how was he acclimated? How is he acting that makes you think he is "unhappy"?

 

[lvmtn2day]

It is an Orange Linckia Starfish and he was acclimated using the drip method, 4+ hours.he seams fuzzy on the outside and dark. Not it's origional bright color. Also he left a slimy stuff on the glass. I noticed it this morning.

 

[ophiura]

We MUST know more about your system:
Age
SPECIFIC WATER PARAMETERS
Note that water that is "perfect" for fish can be fatal for seastars. Please provide this info, it is the only chance we have to help. BTW, DO NOT move this star to another tank.
Odds are it is dying from acclimation shock, but I can't know for sure, and just because it is "fuzzy" it doesn't mean anything. A picture would also help.

 

[lvmtn2day]

I will get a pic asap. also ALK is 0, Ammonia is 0, Nitrite is 0, PH is8.4 or 8.6, and Nitrare is high. I am not sure.It is in the red zone. there will be a pic of that as well.

 

[lvmtn2day]

these are the pics. the card pic is confusing. :notsure: :notsure: Could some one explain it to me?

 

[sepulatian]

If your nitrates are anywhere near the red zone they need to be lowered. I am not familiar with that particular test kit, but anywhere past the second color is too much for inverts. Anywhere past the third color is too much for fish. Also, how old is your system and how much LR do you have?

 

[ophiura]

What is your specific gravity?
Overall, it doesn't look bad, though the white spot in that picture is a concern for me.

 

[lvmtn2day]

the salanity is 38 and gravity is 1.028. Also that white dot is gone. it must have been the sand. One other thing. How do I lower the nitrate? Any good products or methods?

 

[ophiura]

Nitrate is primarily reduced through water changes...though overstocking, overfeeding, lack of skimming and lack of other nitrate export (eg macroalgae growth via refugium).
Your specific gravity is actually getting on the high side. I would keep it 1.025-1.026, but never make these changes quickly.

 

[lvmtn2day]

the guy at the lfs said it should be at the level it is. I have 3 gramies, a starfish, 3 shrimp and 3 feather dusters. thet are in a 37 gl tank and it isn't over stoch. I feed them a small pinch of flake food a day. lowering the gravity sounds good. it is between normal range and what I have now.

 

[ophiura]

Never lower specific gravity in one try. Make is a slow process.
This star, I am sad to say, is not likely to survive long term in this tank size. It does not take to spot feeding, and needs in general 100+ lbs of live rock on which to feed.
I am not sure what "gramies" are?

 

[gwh57]

Stars need a well established tank to thrive. They don't eat like your other animals and need lots of criters from the live rock to survive.

 

[lvmtn2day]

what happened? Just last night I noticed a white goooy filmy stuff and it was slippery. then this morning there is alot more goooooy stuff. It looks like he bleed out. he is flat.

 

[ophiura]

That is what I was worried about, and that is why that white spot was a concern.
The tank is too young, too small and the specific gravity is off, IMO. That is acclimation shock, the "melting" aspect. It may, but is very unlikely to survive. It may be dead already. Hard to tell from the pic, but I strongly discourage trying another or ANY reef safe star (please do not try the much smaller red Fromia, or "bali star" which will have the same fate).