I rearranged all my rock this morning and just noticed my sand sifting starfish is missing half of two of his legs! Must have dropped something on him. I thought I read that they actually regenerate? Did I just frag my first coral???!!! My kids are going to give me SUCH a hard time for this - so you guys be gentle! I just know that Norman will never let me live this one down! HA HA I think I'm finally getting an idea for my tag line... "if it can be screwed up, I've done it"!!!
Well I guess I could say that was a "Dumbwrasse" move, but I think the starfish is just melting. Sandsifters and Linkia starfish do that. I have always lost them when they start that, but if someone on here knows more about that please post. I think you're doing a good job with your tank and it will only get easier as the tank,and you, mature. Hope you like your new fish.
You have GOT to be kidding! MELTING?? What the heck is melting???? Just when I think there's no more surprises! Ok, so if it continues to melt - what should I do? Get him out of the tank and put him out of his misery? (how miserable is melting?!) Let's keep our fingers crossed on that tank maturing, but I think I'm a lost cause! I've been fighting the gray hair, wrinkles, and fat cells for quite awhile now!!! Changing that tag line.... "just another dumbwrasse reef geek"!!!
If he was melting you would know it. Melting is...well...melting. Really horrible to watch. If he is just missing the legs and other-wise looks fine I wouldn't go into a panic, he'll grow more. Someone else can give you more detail on the rest of your question's. Could someone be giving you a hard time here?, like "You know who"?
Hah! "You Know Who" better watch it - he may have met his match!! Ok, well - sandsifter hasn't really moved much but that's kind of common for him. He's usually sort of buried so I can't really tell if he's looking "different" on top... but he's not turning into pudding or anything as far as I can tell. So is it possible that I might have actually "rocked his legs off"??! I'll keep an eye on him. good grief!
Sorry to hear about your starfish. I have 2, a blue and orange linkia and I have to make sure they are out of the way everytime I get in to do work. I really do like them though, they add alot to the tank. Hope yours gets to feeling better! Oh, and just to make you feel better my bubble tip moved yesterday and I found him with his some of his tentacles in the powerhead screen. I had to turn it off and delicately pull them out. Luckily he wasn't in very long and he's gonna be fine. I warned him to stay clear of it but obviously he didn't listen. Scott
Thank you Scott! Wow - great story about your misbehaving bubble tip! I surfed the reef central forum and pretty much at the same place, if it keeps "losing extremities" then it's melting which many said is due to starvation??? Seems to be an opinion that the sand sifting star isn't so great - eats too much of the good stuff in the substrate and then starves to death. So if I wake up tomorrow and no more of the star is missing, then I guess I am guilty of amputating without a license! I did read that someone else (that's right Norman, somebody besides me!) accidentally chopped a couple legs off with rock and the legs kept crawling around the tank for a couple of weeks! Talk about un-identified worms!!!
It's good to see you're checking out my melting story on the famous Reef Central. I always try to tell the truth. If I tell you a rooster dips snuff you better look under his wing for a small round can !!!
The melting that everyone is talking about is "necrosis" of the starfish's tissue or an infection most likely bacterial in nature. Most people see this in linkia starfish because they are more brightly colored and larger than the sand sifting starfish. If you see its progression from the beginning is starts out as a discolored blemish that opens up and turns white. The leasion expands to eventually cover the entire animal. This process can take several days and there are not many claims of stopping the progress of the infection. Some aquarists speculate that the infection is somehow tied to starvation. You might want to consider that your post about cyano and the possible starvation of your star fish are linked. If you do not have the bacteria population to sufficiently process the waste in your tank then the available food in your substrate for the starfish (perhaps bacterial) will also be in short supply. Just a thought.
No noticeable change in starfish today - but he did move to a different part of the tank and looks like he's eating some seaweed. let's hope... can't believe I'm saying this!... that I just chopped his legs off! Thanks for the info Chris. Norman, I'll be watching for that snuff dipping rooster!
Well, the little critter seems fine today. He's been all over the tank, back to his regular behavior. After more research & discussion, I realize that he's not the best choice for my tank (55gal FOWLR with crushed coral substrate) - probably depleting the good nutrients I thought I was working hard on building. sooo..... Anyone want a three-legged sand sifting starfish??!!!
One sand-sifting star is not a good choice for any tank unless it has a TON of sand area. I am talking about HUGE. They constantly eat the critters and bacteria in the sand bed, so in standard sized tanks they eat until they eat every last morsel in the sand bed and then starve.
next time I purchase livestock without checking with you guys first, would somebody just hit me in the head with a hunk of live rock???!!! lesson learned. sand sifter must go.
I'm glad you said that, I've been looking through live rock all afternoon for just the right size. Don't want to leave too big a knot, just a little swelling. I know I'll have the chance real soon.
