Sick Blue Linckia Star

[marjimbo]

Hi
Has anyone got any input on a sick Blue Linckia Star. I've only had mine about 2 weeks. I checked him carefully at the LFS and could see no problems or parasites. He hasn't moved around much in that time (but always moving a bit), and today he has white damage to one leg, near the tip - like the end of the leg is rotting off. I've isolated him in a floating container for now. He appears to still be alive.

My setup is a 37 gal reef with 4 Chromis, 2 Perculae, one Flame Angel, one Royal Basslet, three mushroom coral buds, a small pulse coral and a small garden style polyp colony. Also have 2 cleaner shrimp, two turbos and a few assorted small snails.

Water is 75 deg, 1.023, 400 mg/l Ca, pH 8.1, KH 11, nil amonia, nil nitrite and trace (about 5) nitrate.

Should I just remove him, or is there any hope?

 

[Unarce]

Definitely not a good sign. Linckia's are easy to care for once adjusted, but need to be acclimated EXTREMELY slowly. I have not heard of anyone bringing a blue linckia to a full recovery after they start falling apart like that. Next time, you want to do a slow drip for several hours when acclimating. I've seen some people take almost a day.

You might want to remove him before it fouls up your water. I also think your fishload is teetering towards the high side.

 

[Anonymous]

It sounds as though it's disintegrating, this is a very bad sign. Problem is that we don't know what S.G. it came from, nor do we know how it was acclimated. These creatures are very sensitive to changes in salinity and pH, and acclimation is of paramount importance. While your readings appear to be pretty darned good, there's no way to know several things: what did it come from? How was it shipped? How recently? How long has it been in the shop? How was it acclimated once it arrived there/stateside? All these factors contribute to success, or lack thereof, with animals like these sea stars.

Anyway, you can try an antibiotic that I've seen work, but this was with a different species, and in a public aquarium using natural (well-filtered/sterilized) seawater. Spectrogram, following dosing directions, maintaining pristine water quality - which would likely mean redosing with each water change.

Keep it separated from the main system, as yours is too small to take big changes (such as what's happening with this sea star). Best of luck.

 

[Anonymous]

One of the organisms that should be left in the ocean. Just too many variables and potential problems associated with it. As Seamaiden said, they are extremelely sensitive, and they go through too many hands before they get to you. It could have been dying at the wholesaler before the store even got their paws on it.
Purple linkias are much more reliable.

Jim

 

[marjimbo]

Thanks Reefnutz and Seamaiden. I had moved the Star to my Q tank but he seems to be going downhill quickly - it's now on the bottom with two legs bottom side up. I think I'd better just remove it.
Thanks for your help