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Melissa222
02/26/2007, 05:23 PM
Hello,

My green brittle star went stiff in our 180 G tank. I took it out as we have a problem with nitrates, and placed it in a 5 G hospital tank with a bubble coral, which is thriving. However, the star seems to be being eaten alive! It's a bit gross but it is still moving, it's tentacles are all waving and it still seems to be delivering food to it's now non existant mouth! The back of its disc has all but disintegrated and all thats left are four legs, one of which has dropped off but it's still moving on its own!!

I was wondering, if albeit maybe a little late now, wether to euthanise it? But if its legs are still moving and appear to be alive do I leave it? Is it fouling the water? I know when it's "ill" that it does break apart, but I assumed that it would do just that, but it seems to be disitegrating from the disc and being affected nowhere else.

graveyardworm
02/26/2007, 07:34 PM
Brittle stars can survive some horrific things. A similar thing happened to mine, the top of the body opened up so you could look right in, but it didnt take long to heal, and its still alive almost 2 years later.

kmk2307
02/26/2007, 08:00 PM
Melissa,

Did you acclimate the starfish? It sounds like osmotic shock. If you keep the conditions it is in now good and stable it may be able to recover.

Kevin