Chocolate chip starfish "melting" legs...starvation or stress?

[kitty1620]

I have had a chocolate chip starfish in my tank for about 3 weeks.. bought from lps. Seemed to be doing fine until last night.. I noticed one of his legs was split and started "melting" off. Then another one started to do the same. This happened fairly quickly...I even posted photos of him with all limbs intact and looking fine yesterday morning.. Phosphates were a tad high (at about 1.5-this also may have something to do with it) but other than that, my PH, nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia were all in my tanks normal range-no spikes.
From what i have gathered, this could be from them starving? is this accurate?
I pulled him from my main tank and stuck him in QT with some food.. the "melting" seems to have stopped? But he is now looking really rough.. is this a stress thing?

Is there anything else i can do for it? Is he a lost cause at this point? And I am assuming I should NOT put him back in the tank this way, correct?

I did a water change after pulling him due to his melty parts being in the tank.. all other fish are acting as they normally do.

& cue me feeling like a big piece of ... now ‍
I have spent the better part of my day researching this but maybe y'all have more input.

Thanks y'all

 

[kitty1620]

You can try to acclimate him back but both prognosis are not good. If QT isn’t cycled and has an ammonia spike or nitrites that will kill him in his current state but if you acclimate him back into the main tank that could stress him as well. I honestly would monitor the QT tank and don’t move him. Keep an eye on levels and perform water changes as needed making sure the salinity and temperature are the same. Again unfortunately we can’t treat them like fish so they tend to die once this happens.

This is what I am leaning toward doing.. Unless he miraculously shows improvement signs..

How do I know if he actually dies? I read they will become limp? Do they lose color or anything else noticeable? Obviously he wouldn't be moving.. but he isn't moving much currently as is.

Thanks for your insight!!!

 

[vetteguy53081]

To be sure I read this correctly, if I put him back in the main tank, his disintegrating will not harm the other fish?

Safe even if it dies. Always good to run carbon to alleviate any toxins always and with its current condition, no purpose in reacclimation. How will you know- they will literally rot away

 

[AydenLincoln]

To be sure I read this correctly, if I put him back in the main tank, his disintegrating will not harm the other fish?

There is one other thing you could do which I’m not advocating for but some have been successful I do suggest you do more research on this. But sometimes you can cut them in half and they will regenerate and heal that way. You know the classic thing starfish are known for regrowing their limbs? The issue with this is you have to cut them perfectly and include the central disk which is basically the heart of the body or they will die and not be able to grow back their limbs. And they are more susceptible to infection. It’s very interesting though. Again if you decide to do this please do more research and consult with an invert biologist or marine veterinarian.

 

[AydenLincoln]

This is what I am leaning toward doing.. Unless he miraculously shows improvement signs..

How do I know if he actually dies? I read they will become limp? Do they lose color or anything else noticeable? Obviously he wouldn't be moving.. but he isn't moving much currently as is.

Thanks for your insight!!!

Yes all of the above. If you flip him over and the tube feet don’t retract and you wait and don’t see them he’s dead I’d suggest waiting and monitoring them for a short period to confirm before you actually take him out. Some may go limp, lose color, become hard, etc. it really depends on various factors. But the biggest way you can tell is if they don’t react to stimuli and you don’t see their tube feet. Also if a clean up crew starts eating it when it’s in the main tank at least.

 

[kitty1620]

There is one other thing you could do which I’m not advocating for but some have been successful I do suggest you do more research on this. But sometimes you can cut them in half and they will regenerate and heal that way. You know the classic thing starfish are known for regrowing their limbs? The issue with this is you have to cut them perfectly and include the central disk which is basically the heart of the body or they will die and not be able to grow back their limbs. And they are more susceptible to infection. It’s very interesting though. Again if you decide to do this please do more research and consult with an invert biologist or marine veterinarian.

I have been reading about their regen processes a little bit.... This seems like such a neat/scary idea.. I can tell you I personally will 90% not try this lol..

I will 100% go research this procedure now though, despite it giving me the creeps

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have been reading about their regen processes a little bit.... This seems like such a neat/scary idea.. I can tell you I personally will 90% not try this lol..

I will 100% go research this procedure now though, despite it giving me the creeps

Theyre capable but does not always work in their favor- Mysterious to say the least. At times in distress, they will even self-break a leg off and regrow it

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I have had a chocolate chip starfish in my tank for about 3 weeks.. bought from lps. Seemed to be doing fine until last night.. I noticed one of his legs was split and started "melting" off. Then another one started to do the same. This happened fairly quickly...I even posted photos of him with all limbs intact and looking fine yesterday morning.. Phosphates were a tad high (at about 1.5-this also may have something to do with it) but other than that, my PH, nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia were all in my tanks normal range-no spikes.
From what i have gathered, this could be from them starving? is this accurate?
I pulled him from my main tank and stuck him in QT with some food.. the "melting" seems to have stopped? But he is now looking really rough.. is this a stress thing?

Is there anything else i can do for it? Is he a lost cause at this point? And I am assuming I should NOT put him back in the tank this way, correct?

I did a water change after pulling him due to his melty parts being in the tank.. all other fish are acting as they normally do.

& cue me feeling like a big piece of ... now ‍
I have spent the better part of my day researching this but maybe y'all have more input.

Thanks y'all

Hi, just seeing this now. I've always found that when these stars start to "melt down" you cannot reverse the process. It looks to me in the bottom picture, that a substantial amount of the leg on the right is missing? If so, I would euthanize the starfish, you don't want it to decompose in the tank. You can put it in a small container of water and freeze it.

Jay