Sand sifting starfish

[Samantha Dunn]

My "sand-sifting starfish" I got from Petco a few months ago (I don't have any close LSFs) has been doing fine in my old tank, I moved it to my new tank (all parameters were the same) and it didn't move for awhile so I moved the water around it and it's arms started crumbling. I left it for awhile, but today I noticed it was stuck in a hole on the rock, so I took it out of the tank. (I didn't know what else to do) it is in a tuberwear with aquarium water right now.
Has anyone had this happen before?
Is it dead? Is there any thing I can do for it?

 

[WV Reefer]

My "sand-sifting starfish" I got from Petco a few months ago (I don't have any close LSFs) has been doing fine in my old tank, I moved it to my new tank (all parameters were the same) and it didn't move for awhile so I moved the water around it and it's arms started crumbling. I left it for awhile, but today I noticed it was stuck in a hole on the rock, so I took it out of the tank. (I didn't know what else to do) it is in a tuberwear with aquarium water right now.
Has anyone had this happen before?
Is it dead? Is there any thing I can do for it?

Dying. ..... They usually slowly starve to death.

 

[albano]

Dying. ..... They usually slowly starve to death.

Absolutely...probably even less to eat in your 'new tank'... Do not buy another one.

 

[trido]

I've had one in my 210 for about six years. When I have a sand sifting gobie the starfish does OK. When I dont have a gobie the starfish starts losing legs and dying. It currently have 4 1/4 legs. They don't do well in most tanks

 

[Samantha Dunn]

Absolutely...probably even less to eat in your 'new tank'... Do not buy another one.

It never moved after being placed in the upgraded tank, is there anything I can do for it?

 

[MSB123]

It never moved after being placed in the upgraded tank, is there anything I can do for it?

I’ve had one for about 2 years now. I heavily overfeed otherwise I suspect it will starve. I think yours is a goner. Can you please post pictures so we can see what it looks like right now?

 

[MSB123]

It never moved after being placed in the upgraded tank, is there anything I can do for it?

Did it get exposed to air during the transfer?

 

[Samantha Dunn]

I’ve had one for about 2 years now. I heavily overfeed otherwise I suspect it will starve. I think yours is a goner. Can you please post pictures so we can see what it looks like right now?

I thought I had in the original post, did this work?

 

[Samantha Dunn]

Did it get exposed to air during the transfer?

I don't think so

 

[trido]

It never moved after being placed in the upgraded tank, is there anything I can do for it?

Something likely happened with chemistry and shocked it when you put it into the new tank. If its melting away Its probably already dead. Does it have any tentacle movement at all? If not, I'd probably remove it.

 

[DSC reef]

Exposing starfish to air wont kill them. A sand sifting starfish really are not good tank inhabitants especially a new tank. They consume a lot of microfauna in the sand bed so I wouldn't recommend one unless the tank has been really established. I wouldn't add another. If your looking for a sand sifter I'd look in nassarius snails or fighting conchs.