2 Arms bitten badly by fishes

[News]

Just bought 1 red starfish from farmart yesterday. Today, after back from work, I discovered 2 of my starfish's arm was so badly bitten that it exposed the white 'bone' with fresh. I quickly removed it from the tank and put it into a netted basket floating in the main tank and I noticed that it is still moving.

Any chance for it to recover? What should I do?

Please advise.

[Tigger]

For a second, I thought somebody's arm was bitten.

[dkk08]

izzit a red or orange star? IME if its a blue star I'll tell u that its a goner... but orange star is hardier, higher chance of recover... I dunno abt red thou...

[Panzz]

For a second, I thought somebody's arm was bitten.

lol and here we have someone panicking and anyway good to clear the atmosphere a bit.

anyway I think we can't really gurantee you anything as it all depends on the starfish though as some are strong enough to pull through whereas some are not.

so there is somehow a chance for it to recover and the most important thing to do now is to keep it under observation and make sure that no fish or anything disturbs it and monitor your water quiality so that it aids to the chances of recovering the starfish.

[shawncel]

I have a starfish which I got from a fellow reefer with only 4 arms and a small stump where the fifth leg used to be.

Now more than 2 years later, it has not only survive but also manage to regenerate a new fully functional arm.

Cheers

[Derek0925]

I have a starfish which I got from a fellow reefer with only 4 arms and a small stump where the fifth leg used to be.

Now more than 2 years later, it has not only survive but also manage to regenerate a new fully functional arm.

Cheers

ah shawncel steady phoon pee pee

[News]

Below is the photo took just after dinner, condition is quite bad, not moving much. Nevertheless, will wait till it is confirm have gone.

Thanks for all your reply.

File too big shall repost later.

[News]

This is my poor starfish

[cityofangels]

I could have swore that I thought it was YOUR arms that were bitten badly. I was intrigued by the type of fishes you kept!

Have you identified the fishes that's the culprit?

[News]

It confirmed gone.

I think the culprit is either the fire clown or neon damsel and I think for the time being better not to get anymore small moving inverterbrate like starfish or slug.

[cityofangels]

You sure you don't keep Harlequin Shrimp?

[Panzz]

by the look of it, it looks more like something swallowed it and threw it out again.

[fisheatme]

Hey News...

i SERIOUSLY dun think any of ya fish bit it...it looks more like the starfish was not doing well in ya waters (they r pretty sensitive) and hence wasted away.

(We need to slowly acclimatize it...)

That's kinda a common way they die in water parameters that dun quite suit them.

Sorrie about it....

[News]

Hi Cityofangels,

I did not have any shrimp in my tank and by the way how Harlequin Shrimp look like?

Hi Fisheatme,

I am very sure it must be bitten by something. I had just turn from a heathy one to this condition about 10 hours and I don't think the water can cause sure damage.

[fisheatme]

hi news...

bad news (no pun intended) 10hrs is definitely enuff to do such damage...they r super sensitive. certain parts juz die off n rot immediately...

can try asking others whom have kept such species or blue linkias before...

ya fishes r innocent lah!

btw...when i used to keep harlequin shrimps...(http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=749) u can actually cut off the rotting parts to preserve the other surviving parts...ie...a 5-leg starfish can be cut into 5 surviving pieces...

but it is kinda cruel lah....

[PerculaClownfish]

yup cruel!

[News]

Hi fisheatme,

Maybe I should elaborate further how I come to a conclusion (guessing only) that the culprit is the fish.

Firstly, I bought the starfish in the afternoon and it was doing fine in the tank till the next morning before I went to work (est time inside the tank is about 12 hours and I had take a look at it before leaving).

Secondly, after i put it inside the tank for about 15 minutes while it was climbing along the glass, I saw my fire crown went and bite it and it was drop to the sand. I though this is just a curiosity attempt by the fish and do not pay much attention to it.

With the above, I assuming that it was the fish which may have attacked it.

[fisheatme]

hi news...

yikes! btw tks for sharing the story of ya clown fish! i m guessing could be after clown inflicted a wound on the starfish...it got infected and hence rot away?

u may wan2 try another blue linkia...this time try acclimatizing it real slowly...

dun be too angry wif ya clown...hehehe...life is tuff living wif a name like that ya koe?

[PerculaClownfish]

haha ya...

[News]

Thanks fisheatme for your advise.

By the way, forgive me for my ignorance, how is a blue linkia look like so that will try to get one when is avaliable and can you propose how to acclimatise it.

[shawncel]

Thanks fisheatme for your advise.

By the way, forgive me for my ignorance, how is a blue linkia look like so that will try to get one when is avaliable and can you propose how to acclimatise it.

Bro,

Here is a pic of a blue linkia...

[News]

Thansk shawncel.

[fisheatme]

hi news

put the bag (the one the lfs provides u with for the transportation of ya linkia)...into ya tank water...then after 5 mins...add a little bit of ya tank water into it...do this for like every 5mins and for at least 5-10 times (depending how kiasu you are)....

i read from somewhere that the whole process should be about 2hrs and they recommend drip system (ie water from tank enters bag drip by drip)...

but if u ask me i think that is way super kiasu lah...hehehee

my process usually takes about 15-25mins...

u koe...the same way u would acclimatize a shrimp eg. cleaner shrimp?

hope the above helps...good luck!

ps* have read from somewhere that linkias feed on film algae...found on ya rocks...substrate...glass etc....

[News]

Hi fisheatme,

After this acclimation, should I use my bare hand/fish net to scoop the starfish out of the bag and put it in the tank OR Use a small container to scoop the starfish with some water and put them into the tank (ie not to let the starfish expose to air?)

[fisheatme]

hey news...

sorrie for the late reply...

think u can use ya hands to pick them up...

u koe...actually our lfs are also rather rough with their shipments of livestocks! had the chance to "help-out" in a couple of big lfs...u should really see how they handle the cheaper corals (and starfishes)....hehehee...pretty rough!