Starfish problem/sickness/something..

denisec

Member
Per Beth's suggestion I am cutting and pastin and requesting help from you guys.
DeniseC
Purple Tang
posted September 24, 2001 02:37 PM

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I have a brittle starfish that had a white looking fungus on his body and now the top layer of this body is gone. What is showing is like red seeds and when he opens his mouth to feed you can see righ through him. He has now been moved to the hosiptal tank, alone. I am not sure if somone bit him or if the fungus got worse and this is the effect. He is still moving and eating. I am not sure how much he is digesting though in the state he is in. This first happened Wed night and he was moved to the hospital Thur and he is still alive. I am feeding bits of formula one that he responds to. What can I do to aide regrowth, he seems to be regrowing a bit of cover at the edges. I am not adding anything to the hospital tank at this time other than just feeding and adding slime coat.

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Posts: 173 | From: Clayton, NC | Registered: Jul 2001 | Tank: Home: 40g20g Work:55gal | IP: Logged
Beth
Shark
posted September 24, 2001 08:36 PM

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I don't know what the BB difficulties are coming from, but I've advised the owners. This has been an ongoing problem for awhile.
As for the starfish, I would not rule out some sort of natural phenomena, like reproduction. I'd suggest that you cut/past your query over to the reef section where the reefers can help you. I have no practical exp with starfish.

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mr . salty

Active Member
I recently had a similar experience with my red general.He also seemed to be regenerating,so I held on to the hope that he would be OK.But I was wrong.I fear this is also the case with yours..Once they start to loose flesh,they are pretty much a goner.I have always heard about how they will "melt away" when they die.I believe yours(as mine) is melting...
 

fat_ed

Member
Denise:
Unfortunately, we know very little about how to treat invert disease. As you probably know, starfish and brittle stars have amazing regenerative properties when water conditions are excellent. I think that your best bet is to rely on those regen. properties to carry the day for your star. As to what cause the fungus, stars are often preyed upon by a variety of small parasites, it is likely that this was the root cause.
 

denisec

Member
Thanks for the responses. I quess as long as he moves and responds to food I'll keep trying. I have a small light on this 10 gal he is in. Just a single short 15 wat bulb, plus there is the overhead flour. in the office. Should I leave the tank light off and let it be kinda dim in there? Or do you think it matters?
 

reefkeeper1

Member
I had a brittle star that had the same problem, It had lost a leg and the peperment shrimp picked at him and actually pulled him under a rock when I saw him finally come out a quarter top of his body was gone. I was able to pull him out and put him in a hospital tank and feed him vitamin enriched foods His wounds closed in a little over a week and he is fine now. Yours should be fine also as long as the white stuff you where talking about was the flesh just under there skin and not some fungus as you said.
 
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