Whats this starfish doing

[zdaytonaroadster]

sorry the pic is terrible, its in my brothers nano tank (5 months old) and his Red Star Fish (formia?) is spewing this white stuff out its top side. He added it a few days ago. The star fish seems to move fine, feet are not falling off or anything, any ideas?

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[zdaytonaroadster]

it looks like 2 or three holes with tubes connecting them, and they seal up and go away. I know starfish extrude their guts, but through their backs?

 

[theplatypus]

It looks like tissue necrosis.

 

[oil_fan]

I had bought a marble sea star from Liveaquaria and after a couple of days of having him, his guts too were protruding out as well. I moved him into my QT but he died a couple of days later. And it just got worse before he finally passed away.

From what I understand, they really need to be acclimated for a good 2 hours or more. It only took my third attempt to get one and be successful with it. I now have a serpent sea star and he freaks my wife out. I love it!! :thumbs:

 

[jennm]

It's dying.

I've had one do that and 2 of the legs survived and regenerated (specifically with a Fromia). Enough of the body survived to grow 2 new stars. Exception though, not the rule. Usually once they start to go, it's over.

How long did you take to acclimate it and did you compare the parameters of bag water and your water first?

They are very sensitive to changes in pH and specific gravity.

Jenn

 

[zdaytonaroadster]

JennM;338919 wrote: It's dying.

I've had one do that and 2 of the legs survived and regenerated (specifically with a Fromia). Enough of the body survived to grow 2 new stars. Exception though, not the rule. Usually once they start to go, it's over.

How long did you take to acclimate it and did you compare the parameters of bag water and your water first?

They are very sensitive to changes in pH and specific gravity.

Jenn

as i said its my brothers, but he told me he acclimated it for 3 hours. he says the spots seem to come and go

 

[jennm]

That's tissue necrosis. It's not going to get any better - it's rotting from the inside out.

He can choose to either discard it, or watch and wait - parts of it might regenerate like mine did but that was the exception - in 7 years I've had one do that, but some others that arrived at my shop for resale, did not make it. They are pretty easy to keep once acclimated - but if they weren't acclimated properly elsewhere in the chain of custody (wholesaler, retailer) - they are done Nothing he could have done if the shock happened before he got it.

Jenn

 

[zdaytonaroadster]

ok kewl, i'll let him know, he wont be happy, but..what can you do