Chocolate chip starfish it is dying?

[Qasim]

Hello,

The starfish is one the first LS in my tank for about 5 months now. It has been doing well. But lately I have noticed a white layer on its chips. I will attach two photos of the first time I got it and what is happening to it now. Your guidence and help is always highly appreciated.

I have been feeding it with tiny frozen shrimp pieces once a week.

 

[Humblefish]

Have you tested for nitrates/phosphates recently? Starfish are very intolerant of elevated nitrates/phosphates, or swings in any parameters.

They also have voracious appetites and need to be fed daily IME.

 

[Qasim]

Yeah my nitrates are high more than 80 is my guess. The place I live its quite hard to get treatments fast I have received NoPoX by redsea yesterday and started dosing 8ml since I have 107 gallons of water. Fingers crossed to get thise nitrates down.

 

[Grey Guy]

That starfish is a preditor. He wants meat, and corals are it's favorite.

 

[Qasim]

Today I observed the tank for a while. I noticed it is my foxface biting the starfish shall I put the starfish in my sump? Will it survive in sump? What is your suggestions


Thanks

 

[Qasim]

That starfish is a preditor. He wants meat, and corals are it's favorite.

I have green star polyps and metallic hairy mishrooms but havent seen the starfish crawl on them. I feed it pieces of frozen shrimp maybe thats keeping it full.

 

[Grey Guy]

I think they especially like sea anemones. Chocolate chip star fish are great cleaner uppers, but they are not considered reef safe.

 

[Qasim]

I think they especially like sea anemones. Chocolate chip star fish are great cleaner uppers, but they are not considered reef safe.

Yes correct I didnt know it was reef safe when I bought it first. The issue here is what you find in the fish store you have to get it first otherwise you will loose the chance the guy has issues in getting live stock

 

[Grey Guy]

I believe it's called impulse buying. Lol We all have seen a beautiful coral and bought it or wanted to, just because it felt like we would never see one that nice again. Buying Sea life, while not knowing anything about it is always a bad idea. I used to do it. But not any more. what the heck the internet you can find out everything you need to know about a species.

 

[Grey Guy]

I believe it's called impulse buying. Lol We all have seen a beautiful coral and bought it or wanted to, just because it felt like we would never see one that nice again. Buying Sea life, while not knowing anything about it is always a bad idea. I used to do it. But not any more. what the heck the internet you can find out everything you need to know about a species.

This is weird. I did not mean to write "what the heck", but there it was, after I pressed reply.

 

[Qasim]

I know it is impulsive buying but here it is first come first serve in 5 months the guy had two batches of live stock here and I had chance to get only 5 fish 1 fire shrimp that hides and the starfish.
I have attched my babies photos here I love them all and cant stand loosing them

 

[Grey Guy]

Looking good.

 

[Bret Brinkmann]

Because you have seen it eating shrimp that you gave it, I recommend putting it in the sump and keep feeding it there. That will keep it safe from the foxface bitting it and the coral safe from being eaten by the starfish. I had one a long time ago that I saw eating polyps. I don't think chocolate chip starfish are very picky eaters.

 

[sfin52]

They don't mind devouring corals.