I think theres something wrong with my bubble tip brittle starfish. :sad1:
Let me put some recent history out there as I have some unique problems. I'm currently laid off from my job and have been for a few weeks now. I'm starting to get worried because I'm running out of testing kits, so I don't have a perfect idea of where my tanks at, and thats part of my problem.
The tank:
55g with a 40g sump, 80lbs live rock, 1"-1.5" sand bed. This tank has been running for 5 years. The tank has limited stock- No fish, modest cleaning crew, and some corals. My specific gravity is about 1.025, PH is 8.2, I've never had a problem with ammonia or copper, and always top off with ro-di water.
I was given an LED light fixture for my birthday which, combined with a new coral feeding diet and the death of one of my XL turbo snail has sparked a bit of a hair algea bloom that is in a moderate state of remission since his replacement. Tonight I sold off the last of my available pulsing xenia in trade for a new spindle for my canister filter and have started running some carbon to hopefully help take some of the excess nitrates or phosphates out of my system, also, last night in an extremely rare move I added 1 capful (1/5 reccomended dose) of Brightwell's Phosphat-e liquid phosphate remover to the intake of my skimmer as reccomended.
Since turning on my filter I've noticed my starfish don't look so hot. At first I thought I'd pinched him underneath a rock while I was cleaning last night and he'd died but that does not appear to be the case. When I moved the rock and picked him up he began to sqirm a bit. I palced him safely back down on the sand where he is currently remaining fairly limp. Close investigation shows that his suction cups are still wiggling and moving, but he's just plopped there as opposed to having an arm or two waving around or ontop of a piece of rock or something. He has not as of yet scooted himself into the shadows (Exceptionally rare) and all and all looks like he's on his way out.
He's probibly 4 years old, a good 18" from tip to tip. I have no idea how long they live, but he seemed fine yesterday and have never known him to act like this. Does anyone have any theories as to the problem, insight on life expectancy, or simple tips for a solution? I know I don't have much resources to go on at the moment.
Let me put some recent history out there as I have some unique problems. I'm currently laid off from my job and have been for a few weeks now. I'm starting to get worried because I'm running out of testing kits, so I don't have a perfect idea of where my tanks at, and thats part of my problem.
The tank:
55g with a 40g sump, 80lbs live rock, 1"-1.5" sand bed. This tank has been running for 5 years. The tank has limited stock- No fish, modest cleaning crew, and some corals. My specific gravity is about 1.025, PH is 8.2, I've never had a problem with ammonia or copper, and always top off with ro-di water.
I was given an LED light fixture for my birthday which, combined with a new coral feeding diet and the death of one of my XL turbo snail has sparked a bit of a hair algea bloom that is in a moderate state of remission since his replacement. Tonight I sold off the last of my available pulsing xenia in trade for a new spindle for my canister filter and have started running some carbon to hopefully help take some of the excess nitrates or phosphates out of my system, also, last night in an extremely rare move I added 1 capful (1/5 reccomended dose) of Brightwell's Phosphat-e liquid phosphate remover to the intake of my skimmer as reccomended.
Since turning on my filter I've noticed my starfish don't look so hot. At first I thought I'd pinched him underneath a rock while I was cleaning last night and he'd died but that does not appear to be the case. When I moved the rock and picked him up he began to sqirm a bit. I palced him safely back down on the sand where he is currently remaining fairly limp. Close investigation shows that his suction cups are still wiggling and moving, but he's just plopped there as opposed to having an arm or two waving around or ontop of a piece of rock or something. He has not as of yet scooted himself into the shadows (Exceptionally rare) and all and all looks like he's on his way out.
He's probibly 4 years old, a good 18" from tip to tip. I have no idea how long they live, but he seemed fine yesterday and have never known him to act like this. Does anyone have any theories as to the problem, insight on life expectancy, or simple tips for a solution? I know I don't have much resources to go on at the moment.
