purple star losing its arms (pic)

[Bretts05jeep]

I have only had this sea star for a couple days. Yesterday one of its arms was not looking so good. This mourning it was gone with some yellow stringy stuff on the end, thought it might have just been damaged and fell off but hours later the other arm is looking the same. could something be eating the arms off, if so what would do this and why.

I have four sea stars and no problems with the others. should I through this one in the refugium befor it hides in the rocks and I cant get it. Any help would be great.

[Bretts05jeep]

I just spoted one of the arms it is still moving, should I remove it?

[Bretts05jeep]

up date for this mourning, the stars arms look like they have healed over the ends. The star is still moving around, but the arm that fell off is on its way out.

[jonbry123]

Is this a Linkia? Looks like one. They arenot the easiest of the seastars to keep-longterm health is spotty at best except in the larger established reef tanks. If your docs are high nitrates and phosphates this animal will likely not survive.

[Bretts05jeep]

ya its a linkia, I have an orange one that Ive had for a few months. from what ive been reading it could be the way the lfs aclamated it.


latest up date is that it has lost another arm. only two left.

[Fretfreak13]

+1 on the acclimation problem. Often huge changes in salinity can burn off the arms on stars. Hopefully yours will heal up nicely.