Fromia Starfish disintegrating

[serbusfish]

I received a red Fromia Starfish from a friend around a month or so ago, it seemed to be doing OK although it didnt move around as much as my other one, but this week I have noticed it seems to be disintegrating. Several of its legs are quite short and ragged at the ends, some of my crabs and fish have been pecking at them.

Is it on the way out? What could be causing this? My other Fromia is perfectly healthy.

[Dkuhlmann]

Unless you have a large mature tank with lots of sand most of the starfish sold will not live very long or even come close to thriving. That said it is in my opinion that starfish should be left in the ocean.

So yes I believe your starfish is on the way out.

[Nina51]

agree. these animals should never be offered for sale. they feed on a very specific film algae that we cannot reproduce easily, if at all. i know there are people who say they have had one for years so i suppose there are exceptions but for the most part, yeah, leave them in the ocean.

if you want stars, get some brittle stars. they are easy to keep and a great addition to your cuc.

[Dkuhlmann]

LOL, Nina I have dozens of brittle stars in my LR. Fun to see their arms coming out to grab whatever food they can.

My advice for your starfish is to offer it free to anyone who owns a Harlequin shrimp. All they eat are starfish. At least it won't go to waste. Have them pay shipping. I'm sure many owners of them will be happy to take it for this deal

[ca1ore]

Star has almost certainly starved to death. Likely that your 'perfectly healthy' one will suffer the same fate. They're just really tricky to keep alive for more than a few months. Not saying it's impossible, but hard. Orange marbled fromia is a bit easier than the red one. As noted, a large, mature system is necessary to have any kind of chance with these animals.

[serbusfish]

Star has almost certainly starved to death. Likely that your 'perfectly healthy' one will suffer the same fate. They're just really tricky to keep alive for more than a few months. Not saying it's impossible, but hard. Orange marbled fromia is a bit easier than the red one. As noted, a large, mature system is necessary to have any kind of chance with these animals.

I have had the other starfish much longer than the one that is in trouble, it is highly unliking it has starved when the other is fine and as always has a nice full belly.

My Elegance coral has stung the second star a couple of times, im thinking that might be a contributor.

[ca1ore]

I have had the other starfish much longer than the one that is in trouble, it is highly unliking it has starved when the other is fine and as always has a nice full belly.

How long you have had them is only one part of the equation. An animal that is already declining will go more quickly than one that was initially acquired in better shape. Seems intuitively obvious to me :). Hopefully you'll be fortunate to have one that adapts well to aquarium life.

[Jeff4777]

Weird.. I've have a Fromia and sand sifting starfish for almost a year. Both seem healthy and very active. Sounds like yours is starving. Often times i'll squirt food under the starfish and the glass\sand. He will immediately spit out his stomach and sit there for the next hour. I can see a "orange flake food" looking stomach spit out from inside the starfish. covering his meals.

[serbusfish]

Weird.. I've have a Fromia and sand sifting starfish for almost a year. Both seem healthy and very active. Sounds like yours is starving. Often times i'll squirt food under the starfish and the glass\sand. He will immediately spit out his stomach and sit there for the next hour. I can see a "orange flake food" looking stomach spit out from inside the starfish. covering his meals.

I think it is refusing to eat, rather than not having enough to eat. As I said my other is always full and looks healthy, this one has been odd from the day I got it. What would be the best food to give it to see if it responds?

[cloak]

I think I'm in the same boat as you are. Not a Fromia, but I just got this one a couple weeks ago. Yeah, yeah, yeah... Just feed it nori & pellets... blah blah blah.. It does not seem interested in this stiuff yet... Wish me luck... I would love to turn those frowns upside down with this beautiful creature... GL ;)

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w16/jAb83_2007/starfish_zpsfu2emfb2.jpg (http://s172.photobucket.com/user/jAb83_2007/media/starfish_zpsfu2emfb2.jpg.html)

[Jeff4777]

I think it is refusing to eat, rather than not having enough to eat. As I said my other is always full and looks healthy, this one has been odd from the day I got it. What would be the best food to give it to see if it responds?

Yeah some starfish are on their way out long before they reach our tanks, of course that is more common with the Linkias. I only spot feed my starfish maybe once a month but when I do I use Hikari mysis soaked in garlic guard and then sift it out after a while. Using a turkey baster I gently spray food inbetween the glass\substrate\LR and the sea star. It will immediately spit out its stomach as pictured below and not move for a while. Feeding it while on the glass is the easiest to see in action but kinda hard to keep the mysis to stay there without spraying it away while trying to squirt more mysis under the star. When it finally does move away and put its stomach back inside itself, all the mysis that was there is gone. At first I was unsure if this was even doing anything until without fail every time he eats as seen below. The star fish is in a holding tank ready to be moved to a 220g system soon™ :bounce1:.

http://s24.postimg.org/54mmqm9xh/20151101_111612.jpg (http://postimg.org/image/6wfllita9/full/)

[Jeff4777]

Found it today taking seaweed from my tangs. Guess it will eat whatever they find.

http://s15.postimg.org/to0r65liz/20160111_150355.jpg (http://postimg.org/image/opd8rmhpz/full/)