Star Fish dying

[livinlifeinBKK]

What test kits are you using? Honestly 0.5 ammonia might not seem like much but you really shouldnt have any detectable ammonia at any time. That's not likely to be what killed the fish though but possibly the starfish.

 

[Timfish]

Any particular reason they die (the ones you mentioned).

You can see the discussion in @livinlifeinBKK threads. I've had one Linckia live well over a decade but most linkia and fromia are just months so diet is the main suspect.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I am new to Reef tank.
My tank is 90 gallon and now 4 months old.
I have live rocks etc.
I keeps testing parameters always found Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5 ppm
PH - vary 7.8 to 8.0, i add ph buffer to increase to 8.2. but few told me to maintain 7.8 as it may increase more and could be reason for fishes dying.
Salinity - 1.020 - 1.021
Temperature - 28 to 30 degrees (in summer)


I have my long tentacle anemone, club anemones without issue from 45 th day.
First round of all fishes died in few days - including clown, damsels, gobi, linckia star, unicorn
Second round all fishes died in few days.

Third round all fishes are success since 2 weeks - chromies, gobi, clown, wrasse etc

But Star fish still not succeeded, this time max 5 days it died.


What could be the problem?


The parameters i keep testing on daily basis.
Only PH 7.8 usually and if i add PH buffer then moves to 8.2.
Temperature 28 to 30 degrees usually.

I need expert advise on this.

The salinity is too low for linkia as should be a minimum of 1.023-1.024 and temperature somewhat important. This is not a star for a beginner or in a tank that's not stable and should not be in a tank that contains snails, or certain hermit crabs. Changes alone in oh, and salinity will take them down.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

The salinity is too low for linkia as should be a minimum of 1.023-1.024 and temperature somewhat important. This is not a star for a beginner or in a tank that's not stable and should not be in a tank that contains snails, or certain hermit crabs. Changes alone in oh, and salinity will take them down.

I'd say that two nems in a tank that age is really rolling the dice as well...

 

[Kasrift]

The salinity is too low for linkia as should be a minimum of 1.023-1.024 and temperature somewhat important. This is not a star for a beginner or in a tank that's not stable and should not be in a tank that contains snails, or certain hermit crabs. Changes alone in oh, and salinity will take them down.

This.

Is there a reason why the salinity is so low? PH also isn't the thing to chase, did you mean alkalinity? If you are adding a "ph buffer", most of those raise alkalinity. If you aren't checking alk, you are probably spiking it since it either needs to be consumed by uptake from corals and such or lowered through water changes.

Lastly, as @livinlifeinBKK pointed out , your tank may be too "immature" for starfish, let alone anemones. I'd suggest stabilizing, get fish to survive then worry about inverts in the future.

 

[ianw163]

Maybe the starfish is starving

 

[ianw163]

Also probably something wrong with the water quality. What is your water temperature?

 

[Rmckoy]

Curious how the anemones are doing and why the salinity is so low ?
Ideally should be increased to 1.025-1.026 sg

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

If I were you, I would really focus on the anemones and closely watch their health for now. The reason it's recommend to wait 6 months or so before adding one is due to their symbiotic relationship with certain strains of bacteria which aren't always found in new tanks but show up as the tank mature (if I'm remembering correctly). I'm unsure about the research backing this or if it's something learned by hobbyists over decades of effort but I'd watch them to make sure they remain healthy in such a new tank regardless.

 

[robanister]

Tank not mature enough and feed mastic to keep alive long term no drastic perimeter changes. Linkia make sure not to expose to air.