Blue Fingered Star

[AJ32]

Hi

I am a newbie here and relatively new to marine keeping, although experienced in Tropical and Cold Water, so all help appreciated.

I have a Blue Fingered Star Fish and it has been inactive for two days, although it ate some krill one day ago, today I noticed that it's skin seems to be peeling almost like a shedding effect. I haven't a clue if this is very serious I presume it is or if indeed it's dying?

Can anyone shed any light on this matter asap as I presume they do not shed there skin as a reptile sometimes would? All other livestock 2 percula clowns and 3 yellow tail damsels seem fine although my reef flowers have not come out of the there "tubes" for two days but are alive and water levels appear fine an in order to?

 

[greenbean36191]

[welcome]
I'm not sure which star "blue fingered star" refers to, but I assume it's Linckia. Like almost all of the reef safe stars their diet isn't known, but it's assumed that they feed on biofilms that form on the rocks and glass. Because of that they need a lot of live rock to graze on and generally don't last longer than a year or two in tanks with less than 100 lbs.

They're also very sensitive to poor acclimation or changes in salinity or pH. It sounds like this is the problem with your star. Unfortunately, at this point the damage is already done and you just have to wait and see if the damage continues to progress (which it probably will) or if it stops. In the long run though, if it is Linckia and it's in your nano, the prognosis isn't good.

 

[AJ32]

Thanks v. much, I did a little research and appears it's a Linckia thanks for pointing me in right direction, the LFS stated it would be ok the tank as long as I fed it krill or cockel once a week (I thought I should ask that question before purchasing).

After acclimatisation which I dripped in for a few hours to ease in as gently as possible all seemed ok, I guess I should have researched some more into this though as the prognosis doesn't seem to great from what you have written regarding size and amount of LR required etc.

Thanks for all your help it's appreciated, do you think there is anything further I can do to attempt getting it back to a decent degree of fitness?