I did a bad thing...

[lachrimae]

... and I feel bad about it.

I was cleaning the glass a few days ago with the mag float and didn't notice that my little star fish was up near the top. Well, I knocked it off and watched in horror as it slowly sank down right into my giant carpet anemone :eek1:

As soon as it landed, the anemone started curling up and grabbing more & more of the starfish. I quickly grabbed a plastic rod and, very carefully so as not to hurt the anemone, stopped the anemone from bringing the star any closer in. After about 30 seconds it began to release it's grip and I was able to push the star back onto the sand. I thought the star was probably dead but it very slowly (10 min) turned itself over and moved up onto the glass over the next few hours.

Here it is a few days later and the star has not moved more than a foot further on the glass and has been losing part of 4 of it's arms. Is it possible that this little guy might recover?

Here are some before/after pics:

Before:

After:

I won't be pulling a stupid stunt like that again...

By the way, is this a Linkia or Fromia?

Thanks,

Mark

 

[sean48183]

I think he might. Give it time. They can be pretty resilient.

 

[gfk]

if he gets worse THROW HIM BACK IN THE ANENOME!!!!!!! ARRG

jk... he should get better

 

[reefD]

dont see your pictures but sounds like he was stung good. what you discribe sounds like an infection that stars get. maybe the carpet brought it on but let me ask a few questions. how long did you have the star? r u sure the leg errosion wasnt there before he fell into the anemone? this will help me answer you better. if he was a old inhabitant this changes my thoughts

 

[reefD]

ohh i see the picture now this is definately an injury from the anemone! he may recover....do u dose iodine? this may help....just keep water qualitry excellent and he'll recover

 

[reefD]

I just hope that he doesnt get a bacterial infection that will certainly eat all his arms away. like i said prestine water conditions will help.

 

[drewdegenhardt]

That sucks. Good luck...I hope he/she pulls through it.

 

[reefD]

that picture says it all when u try to tell someone how strong of a sting a carpet can have.

 

[Kent E]

Keep us posted.

 

[Mihai]

I think that it was a Linkia. It may recover but I doubt. Give it a chance though.
M.

 

[cato]

OUCH! Don't make it suffer. Feed it to the anemone!:fun2:

 

[Amphiprion]

I am by no means a starfish ID expert, but most of the "Linckia" species, other than the common blue ones, tend to be in the genus Leiaster. I can tell, however, that yours is not a Fromia species.

 

[lachrimae]

Thanks for the posts. It's looking pretty bad right now with one of the arms sort of hanging sideways but I'm pretty much expecting it to lose some or all of 4 of it's arms before possibly getting better. I'm just going to keep the water in great shape & leave the star alone to see what happens. I'll keep this thread alive with updates no matter the outcome.

FYI: Here's a look at the offending anemone:
(already guilty of feasting on a small chromis & my six line...)

 

[gfk]

how big do those carpet anenomes get? my bubble tip is getting too big and its tenticles sweeeeeep

 

[lachrimae]

Looks like Haddoni is rated up to: 19.69 " - 25.59 " (50cm - 65cm)
Pretty huge...

I think mine looks like Haddoni (thought it lacks the pink mouth) but if it's Gigantea instead: 15.75 " - 17.72 " (40cm - 45cm)

 

[Airman]

Why not cut the injuried arms off?

 

[integlikewhoa]

taggin alog to see the out come. I got on just like him. Pull threw lil guy. Pull threw.

 

[xdusty6920]

i had a similiar incident with a blue and a sebae. same result as yours and it continued until the star died. i kept water clean and iodine levels up but didnt effect the outcome. hope you have better luck then i did. keep us updated

 

[integlikewhoa]

So was he a gonner?

 

[mr pink floyd]

its alinkia, ive see none get eated up by a giant hermit crab, then a few weeks later i saw him again while at my friend house, he is a tinny weeny little orange disk wiht 3 arms, about 1/2 inch now