Blue Star in trouble

[smokinprice]

So I recently got a blue star. He has been in the tank for two days now and finally decided to come out tonight. When he did, I noticed that he doesn't look well. I dont know what is wrong with him. To me, it looks like someone is picking at him. However, I did read that they are prone to parasites so I am wondering if that is what it is. Any help would be greatly appreciated. As for the tank owners, they are as follows:

Tomato clown
Green chromis
Diadema Pseudochromis
Algae blenny
Firefish Goby
Three Stripe Damsel
Peppermint Shrimp
Camel Shrimp
Emerald crabs
Bumble bee snail
Mexican Turbo snail
Zebra hermits
Margarita snails
Conch

Salinity is at 10.25.

Here are some photos of him as well:

 

[mistermikev]

Ooh, that does not look good. I have a blue linkia. He's doing great (had em for 6weeks now). His color is great and no boo boos. i can tell you that the store I got him from can't keep one alive for more than a week, but that isnt saying much. I told them I would be coming in to get one as long as it lasted a week. The one they had died. they brought one in, it died two days later. I told them not to bring one in for me as it seemed they couldn't keep em alive... they brought in another and it died. Then I told them if they were going to bring one in for me they could put it in a bucket with an airstone and add a cup of water every hour or so, and I would take it from them when I got off work and if it did'nt make it I would'nt ask them to replace it. I just took a pic of mine last night... looks better than when I got it. The blue has gotten more beautiful if that is possible. I have about 4" of fine sand and a steady temp. (they seem to not like temp variations or salinity variations). wish i could be more help. Good luck

 

[greenbean36191]

Unfortunately, it looks like somewhere between the ocean and your tank your star was improperly acclimated. These animals are extremely sensitive to changes in salinity and pH. This is what happens if one of those changes too quickly. Usually they don't recover.

 

[smokinprice]

Thanks for the info guys. I am not sure what I am going to do at the moment with him. I am really upset about it. I had been waiting for him for quite sometime.

 

[firebirdbandit]

Bad news for your star. Linkia are very hard to acclimate to different conditions. If you can get it to live past 2 weeks then you are doing good. Most linkias doen't live past a year even in the most prestine of tanks. I wouln't recommend adding them to any tank that is less than 6 months old due to the lack of food. They are very specialized feeders. To acclimate them correctly you should drip them for over 4 hours and make sure they stay warm. When I had my orange linkia that lived about 11 months I acclimated him by putting him in a large specimen container and hanging it in my sump and allowing an airline hose to drip into the container all night. The next day I put him into the tank and he did great until he dissapeared after about 11 months. I find the sandshifting stars much hardier but not really much too look at when you see them but they do a great job with the sand.

 

[mistermikev]

I acclimated mine for an hour and a half. I just pour in a shot glass full of water every five or ten mins. then half way through I empty half the water and continue. I am well past two weeks now and still looks 100%. I have had the same sand in 3 dif tanks over 4 yrs(some would say a no no). Sand sifters are supposed to be impossible to keep alive past a year, or so I have read. haven't read the sm about the blu links.

 

[firebirdbandit]

Please post: All who have had linkia or sandshifting stars over a year in their tank. I would like to hear your advice and how you did it. I've had a sandshifter well over a year and a half.

 

[firebirdbandit]

started a new thread for starfish... http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=996020

 

[IPowderBlueTang]

I had a few star over the years and none ever lasted over a year, all fell apart or shrunk and disappear in the tank. One star became a hermit buffet when it died! That why I don't waste my hard earn money anymore on stars!

 

[tongascience]

the species you speak of MUST BE DRIP ACCLIMATED. and even then are prone to a small parasite that is always the same color of its host and succumb to rapid bacterial infections that are on the oral side arms such as the tips. and the cure-luck has nothing to do with. but goodluck.