brittle star center gone

[0rangeFish]

My brittle star's center got a hole in it a few days ago, but now his center is completely gone. I have no idea why this suddenly happened. I'm just not sure what to do with him as he is still moving around. Will he recover or a goner? Will he spike my tank with ammonia?

 

[Ron Reefman]

I'm not 100% sure, but I think it will not recover. It shouldn't make a big spike in ammonia, but if it dies, I'd pull it out anyway.

Best of luck.

 

[Nina51]

this was mine when it was healthy. got it when the central disk was about the size of a dime.
<a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/user/Ninapearl/media/TANK/brittle%20star_zpsxftx36fp.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/Ninapearl/TANK/brittle%20star_zpsxftx36fp.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo brittle star_zpsxftx36fp.jpg"/></a>

this happened almost overnight a few weeks ago. it had been in my tank for over 4 years. just seemed to happen out of nowhere. when it stopped moving around, i pulled it. really bummed me out because although it was creepy when he wrapped his arms around my fingers, he was a really cool animal and an awesome cleaner upper! at that point, the central disk was the size of a half dollar.
<a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/user/Ninapearl/media/TANK%202015/star_zpskx0yznfn.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/Ninapearl/TANK%202015/star_zpskx0yznfn.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo star_zpskx0yznfn.jpg"/></a>

i have 3 other smaller brittle stars in my tank that are all doing fine.

 

[Ron Reefman]

That's really sad, sorry for your loss.

I have a real love affair with serpent stars and anemones. I have several stars in 3 of my 4 tanks. Every time I find a really cool looking star in the Keys when we are snorkeling I think about how much I'd like to have it in my tank. But my tanks have all they can hold comfortably. This one did come home with me and has been in my 180g tank for a year now.

 

[Nina51]

very pretty!!

and thanks, that brittle star was one of my all time favorite creatures in my tank. i could coax it out of the rocks with a piece of raw shrimp on the end of a skewer. so many times people would be watching my fish and i'd have the big guy come out of the rocks. all the little kids thought it was an octopus. LOL