HELP! My Serpent Star is losing legs....

[delpni]

I have had a Serpent Star for about a month now with no problems. He was (until yesterday) in a 14 gallon (he is small) biocube with a clown, two blue Damsels, a few nerite and nessarius (spelling?) snails, 3-4 small blue-leg hermit crabs, 2 sexy shrimp, and 1 Scarlet hermit. The problem is, four days ago, I noticed one of my starfish's arm was missing; otherwise he seemed to be okay. Yesterday, I moved him along with the other fish from the Biocube, into my 75 gallon, which already plays host to 1 Scarlet Hermit, 2 blue-leg hermits, and 2 False percula Clowns. I dripped the star for 1.5 hours (which is what I did when I first brought him home) and this morning, he has a half of arm left! In the picture I attached, you can clearly see this and toward the right front of the picture, a trail of arm pieces in the sand. :***: My perameters are as follows in the 75 gallon:

Nitrates / Nitrites: Between 0 and 0.5
Specific Gravity : 1.025
PH : 8.5
Temp : 79-81 (over 24 hour windows)
Phos. : 0.5 (down from 1.5 a week ago...dunno why so high)
Calcium : 490ppm
Lighting : 18" deep, 48" long tank; 216 watts T-5 HO plus reflectors & 12 watt lunars. White lights on for 6 hours/day, blue 16hours, lunar, 7hrs.

I also have 60-65 pounds live rock and 80 pounds of sand. With the exception of my starfish, everything is doing VERY well. :thumbs: I really like this little guy and don't know if he is doomed or if I can save him...also how to prevent this from occuring again. Sorry such a long post.
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[brianjfinn]

Looks like he's shedding them. I think they do this as a result of stress. Your params look pretty good, so I don't know if a water change would help, but when in doubt that's what I always default to. He could be getting picked on by something, but not sure.

 

[jennm]

They can and likely will grow back. I took home a "hub" once (5 short stubs) and they grew back. That one had shed its legs in shipping.

I don't think I'd suggest a water change - more parameter shifts may stress it further.

These stars are pretty tough (as opposed to some of the more sensitive species) - as long as nothing is picking on him and he manages to stay fed, he should be able to regenerate those legs.

Jenn

 

[delpni]

Thank you for the input thus far! My 75 gallon has hardly any algea at all. That said, what should I feed my starfish? Will they eat silversides? I also have to find something to feed my snails and crabs... :unsure:

 

[jennm]

They are scavengers - let 'em scavenge.

Jenn

 

[delpni]

So I just -literally- watched my starfish break off one of his own arms and then wriggle away as the arm lay there squirming. :sad: I guess this rules out one of my fish or crabs is harming him...I feel bad b/c I have NO idea what to do for him...he is essentially now a squirming nub. I placed a very small piece of silverside directly beneath him and he wanted nothing to do with it. Thank you all for your input on this; I am afraid I might lose him soon though. :shout:

 

[drnecropolis]

Osmotic shock..

 

[rorad]

So will he come back from the osmotic shock?

 

[delpni]

Thank you all for the advice! I went out yesterday and bought some Cyclopse-Eeze and Microplex (Kent). I soaked a little piece of silverside in garlic and Cyclopse and tried to get him to eat; unfortunately, he died last night. :sad: I really like the starfish, but I'm thinking I should maybe wait a wihle before getting another one. I don't kow what I did wrong and I really don't want to kill anything else in my tank.