CC starfish question..

[Calappidae]

I have a bit of an issue...

I just got some CC starfish to freeze for my harlequin shrimp and my parents backed me out of doing so... normally I get them already frozen...


So now I'm stuck with 3 live 4inch CC stars...

Would they temperarly live in a 30 gallon containing:

Sailfin tang (moving to 125)
2 ocellarius clownfish
1 peppermint shrimp
6 or more turbo snails
yellow watchman goby
2 scooter dragonets
1 bangai cardinal
and 4 red tip hermits?


I also have some ricordae shrooms I can easily move.

I believe not at all but I was seeing if I can get any back-up info on it...

 

[GhostCon1]

I know they are cannibals, so they might eat each other. And they're not reef safe, however I'm not sure if that is for the other invertebrates or corals, probably both.

 

[johnike]

Send 'em here.

 

[Calappidae]

Send 'em here.

I wish I was capable of doing so

I'm actually going to just trade them at the lfs for some already frozen starfish.
IF they survive the night... one star's chocolate chips looks like they are decaying... like I actually see the black peeling off of them... and they are all curled up in a ball (with their arms ontop of their heads).., two of them have this orange bubbly stuff coming from their mouth. this concerns me as I'm not doing something right... they we're in perfect condition the night I got them.

 

[Calappidae]

Whats wrong with the poor guy... I'm almost starting to feel sorry I didn't freeze it

 

[GhostCon1]

Did you expose them to air?

 

[Calappidae]

Did you expose them to air?

What happens then?

Yes, unaware they have been exposed during transporting them into different tanks (they were living in a bucket then I moved them into a container floating in my 30 gallon)

 

[GhostCon1]

What happens then?

Yes, unaware they have been exposed during transporting them into different tanks (they were living in a bucket then I moved them into a container floating in my 30 gallon)

If exposed to air, and it gets trapped, then it will cause internal problems, which usually means death.

I assume it is similar to clams, you have to burp clams when adding them to your tank to unleash any trapped air bubbles or it will eventually kill them.

 

[Calappidae]

WHAT HAPPENED NOW? D:

I just got off the phone with the lfs to confirm a trade... and one of the starfish is all melted... I've seen dead anemones look healthier...


Not moving, he is either dead or 99% dead... i just gave it to the harlys to try and finish it off... the others look fine... the harlequin actually pulled one of the entire legs off, thats how much bad shape its in...

 

[GhostCon1]

That's terrible and out of my expertise. Anyone have any info?

 

[Secondsbest]

Improper acclimation may have left deep tissue injuries that slowly killed them? Even if you acclimated them correctly, who is to say their handlers before you did? I forget where I read it, but an article had a great explanation as to how stars are very susceptible to injury from this. It also claimed it may take weeks for the ill health to show.

 

[Calappidae]

Improper acclimation may have left deep tissue injuries that slowly killed them? Even if you acclimated them correctly, who is to say their handlers before you did? I forget where I read it, but an article had a great explanation as to how stars are very susceptible to injury from this. It also claimed it may take weeks for the ill health to show.

They are mainly ment for feeders so care and precaution really wasn't prioritized but I didn't expect it to go wrong this easy. I also did handle them out of water..

 

[Secondsbest]

I hope my comment was not taken as accusatory. I personally have some of the worst patience when it comes to acclimation and quarantine.
To add a little information on the subject so that others may learn why not to repeat the possible mistake: Starfish use internal voids with varying hydrostatic pressures as endoskeletons. Too large or rapid of water density change can separate or completely rupture the membranes of these voids. Small amounts of initial damage may lead to greater separation, then loss of hydrostatic adjustability, and eventually into a total loss of bodily control. Starvation and necrosis are the final products. The upturned arms in the pic you posted make me believe this is what happened. The solution is a very slow and gradual acclimation process.

 

[Calappidae]

Over night when that happened, the starfish was nothing but the little white pebbles all over the place (made a mess outa the tank too..) it just vaporized practicly.. the harlequins didn't even get a bite, it just fell appart in their maxipedes..

The other one did the same thing...

The last one I froze before anything else bad happened to it. :sad2:

 

[Monkeyfish]

If exposed to air, and it gets trapped, then it will cause internal problems, which usually means death.

This is a load of hooey. I thought this myth had dispelled awhile ago. These stars and many others, are routinely out of the water in their natural environment due to the tides. Exposure to air for a few seconds isn't going to hurt them.

 

[arnoldrew]

This is a load of hooey. I thought this myth had dispelled awhile ago. These stars and many others, are routinely out of the water in their natural environment due to the tides. Exposure to air for a few seconds isn't going to hurt them.

I've wondered about this. I've seen them out of the water due to tides many times, and then when I got into reefkeeping everyone was screaming "Don't let your starfish have any contact with air or they will turn into Gremlins and/or burst into flame!"

 

[Calappidae]

I've wondered about this. I've seen them out of the water due to tides many times, and then when I got into reefkeeping everyone was screaming "Don't let your starfish have any contact with air or they will turn into Gremlins and/or burst into flame!"

How many starfish do you collect dead on the beach like sea shells?