Sea Star Wasting Disease

[Nancy57]

Hi,

Does anyone know if this is treatable? All my starfish are dying, and I think this is what they have.

Thank you,
Nancy

 

[Animagus]

What kind of starfish do you have? Are they just getting thinner and thinner or are you experiencing something else?

I've always thought that lack of food is what causes a starfish to waste away.

 

[Nancy57]

They are chocolate chip.. Their legs are turning white and wasting away. I looked it up on the internet and there is a lot of information about how it is happening in their natural habitat, and that it is viral, but no information on if it is treatable in the tank.

 

[jraker]

Can we get some tank parameters? How large is it, how long has it been established, what is your alk, nitrates, phosphates, temperature, other livestock?

 

[pagojoe]

The main cause of sea star "wasting" in aquaria is starvation.

 

[Nancy57]

I don't think they are starving, I put algae in there for them to eat besides whatever else they pick up. Don't know my numbers... will get water tested this weekend. Its a 55 gallon tank. I didn't see anything on the internet about starvation, I read that it is viral, just can't find any treatments for them. The tank has been established for close to two years. I have 2 shrimp, 2 urchins, 2 tangs, 2 engineer gobys, a clown, a cardinal, a dottyback, a watchman, a blenny 3 starfish. One of them Ive had since I established the tank, the other 2 about a year.

 

[Bongo Shrimp]

I don't think they are starving, I put algae in there for them to eat besides whatever else they pick up. Don't know my numbers... will get water tested this weekend. Its a 55 gallon tank. I didn't see anything on the internet about starvation, I read that it is viral, just can't find any treatments for them. The tank has been established for close to two years. I have 2 shrimp, 2 urchins, 2 tangs, 2 engineer gobys, a clown, a cardinal, a dottyback, a watchman, a blenny 3 starfish. One of them Ive had since I established the tank, the other 2 about a year.

This pretty much adds evidence to the likelihood that they are starving. Since starfish wasting disease is indeed viral, you'd have to have brought in another starfish that had it in order to introduce to the tank. Also, chocolate chip starfish don't eat algae, they are carnivorous and need something nice and meaty to thrive.

So, it sounds like they are starving but you might want to get your water tested sooner rather than wait until the weekend since starfish are more sensitive than other species and this could be the start of a bigger problem. Do you have a test kit? Can you at least tell us what the salinity is?

If this was actually starfish wasting disease, there is no treatment or cure. Just as with any other viral diseases, there's pretty much no treatments available. Again, what you have is almost certainly starvation, not starfish wasting disease.

 

[Betta132]

Give them meat. Big chunks of shrimp, placed as close to the starfish as possible- preferably under them. If they're starving, you may have a tiny chance of saving them, but at this point it's a very small chance.

 

[jraker]

I don't think they are starving, I put algae in there for them to eat besides whatever else they pick up

Chocolate Chip sea stars are carnivores. Meaty foods are the best for them. Be careful with them, because they are known to eat fish.

 

[Bongo Shrimp]

Chocolate Chip sea stars are carnivores. Meaty foods are the best for them. Be careful with them, because they are known to eat fish.

Chocolate Chip Starfish are not known to, and are not capable of eating a fish. Unless the fish is already dead.

 

[Nancy57]

Ok I can feed them shrimp.. no I dont have a test kit. The salinity tester I have has a green band on it and the water level comes just to the top of it.

Anyway my chocolate chip starfish do it the algae strips..

 

[Bongo Shrimp]

Ok I can feed them shrimp.. no I dont have a test kit. The salinity tester I have has a green band on it and the water level comes just to the top of it.

Anyway my chocolate chip starfish do it the algae strips..

Sounds like they probably resorted to eating the algae out of desperation. I would highly suggest purchasing a test kit, even just an api kit for the basics as being able to test your water regularly and accurately is paramount for maintaining a marine aquarium long term. It also sounds like you are using a hydrometer to measure salinity. They are notoriously inaccurate and you should therefore consider purchasing a refractometer. Does your hydrometer at least have numbers on it?

It is difficult to attempt to diagnose a problem like yours without having the parameters, especially an accurate measurement of the salinity since invertebrates such as starfish are very sensitive to diversions from the norm. Without the numbers to go with the other info you have provided, our ideas are only educated shots in the dark.

 

[li76]

I feed mine fish/shrimp/clam pieces. He hangs out near the top of the water sometimes. I told the food against the under side of his leg and he takes it. I tried putting the food on the sand and putting him on top, but the crabs would steal it out from under him.

 

[Nancy57]

I just want to thank you all for all your suggestions, I really appreciate it. I am going to buy a test kit. ( I do know I have been battling a phosphate problem and have been doing regular water changes every week ) Bongo Shrimp the hydrometer does have numbers on it. The green band sits between 1.03 & 1.020 there are 5 spaces in between the two numbers. When I drop it in the water the level measures one space below the 1.020. Right at the top of the green band. I am probably going to take the starfish back to the aquarium store tomorrow. One of them is really bad And the other one seems ok and the third one I can't find. But I can't stand by and watch him die. And I am done with starfish.. Don't want to endanger any more in my tank..