Starfish missing legs

[Jared.matson.065]

Hi, I’m new to the hobby and have a large Cade 1200. I was recently looking in my tank and noticed my red linckia was missing 2 legs. The starfish is around 5cm so pretty small. I have other starfish such as sand sifters and they are fine. I also think that one of my porcelain anemone crabs might have been eaten. I haven’t seen it in a few days but I’m still holding out hope. I’ve also had some other critters go missing in the past like 2 peppermint shrimp and some snails. The livestock is: 3 chromis, melanurus wrasse, cleaner shrimp, 2 blue tangs, 2 clownfish, bicolour blenny, foxface radditfish, sailfin tang, blue damsel, different types of snails/cowrie, a short spine urchin a few crabs and lots of coral. Does anyone have an idea on what could be stacking the critters?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi, I’m new to the hobby and have a large Cade 1200. I was recently looking in my tank and noticed my red linckia was missing 2 legs. The starfish is around 5cm so pretty small. I have other starfish such as sand sifters and they are fine. I also think that one of my porcelain anemone crabs might have been eaten. I haven’t seen it in a few days but I’m still holding out hope. I’ve also had some other critters go missing in the past like 2 peppermint shrimp and some snails. The livestock is: 3 chromis, melanurus wrasse, cleaner shrimp, 2 blue tangs, 2 clownfish, bicolour blenny, foxface radditfish, sailfin tang, blue damsel, different types of snails/cowrie, a short spine urchin a few crabs and lots of coral. Does anyone have an idea on what could be stacking the critters?

S add lthough most every star can regenerate new legs, this may be a sign of stress from poor water quality, aggression, starvation other other environmental issues

 

[Tonycass12]

Hi, I’m new to the hobby and have a large Cade 1200. I was recently looking in my tank and noticed my red linckia was missing 2 legs. The starfish is around 5cm so pretty small. I have other starfish such as sand sifters and they are fine. I also think that one of my porcelain anemone crabs might have been eaten. I haven’t seen it in a few days but I’m still holding out hope. I’ve also had some other critters go missing in the past like 2 peppermint shrimp and some snails. The livestock is: 3 chromis, melanurus wrasse, cleaner shrimp, 2 blue tangs, 2 clownfish, bicolour blenny, foxface radditfish, sailfin tang, blue damsel, different types of snails/cowrie, a short spine urchin a few crabs and lots of coral. Does anyone have an idea on what could be stacking the critters?

Its probably stressed and starving. How old is your system?

 

[N.Sreefer]

I would bet one of those peppermint shrimp is hiding on you and it had itself a nice meal on the stars leg until the starfish dropped the leg.

 

[Gtinnel]

Linckia starfish are known at being hard to keep alive, and if you are new to the hobby and your tank is new than my guess is that it's starving. It's one of those animals that IMHO should be left in the ocean.

 

[Jared.matson.065]

S add lthough most every star can regenerate new legs, this may be a sign of stress from poor water quality, aggression, starvation other other environmental issues

I do regular tests of my water, I run carbon and regularly change the water aswell as dosing. They water quality seems fine from the tests. As far as starvation there is no lack of food I try to spot feed most of my critters with mysis and other foods. It could be aggression though I’ll have to look into that.

 

[Jared.matson.065]

Its probably stressed and starving. How old is your system?

Around 13 months old. Plus I got most of my rocks/bio media from a tank breakdown that was over 7 years old so the conditions should be ideal. Can you suggest how to feed it?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Starvation may indeed be the issue. While some stars like chocolate chip eat that, linkia is a very difficult star and Linckia consume bacterial films, fauna, algae film and sponges. Because of this, And due to this, they should be introduced into well established aquaria of no less than 1 year.