Help with serpant sea star?

xycose · 01/04/2018, 05:00 PM

I ordered a tiger banded serpant sea star(along with some other stuff like Exquisite Firefish and some hermit crabs and snails)

The star fish had two legs broken off in the bag when I got the package, and after acclimating to the instructions that came with it, I dropped him in the tank and he has just moved as far under the nearest rock as he could and hasn't moved from there since a day later. Should I be worried about it and is there anything I can do for him?

I googled about their legs coming off and most places seemed to say they could survive it and regrow their legs over time.

The Exquisite Firefish has also been hiding behind a rock and hasn't come out once - but I'm hoping he's just getting used to his new home.

top shelf · 01/04/2018, 05:17 PM

I wouldn't worry to much about the legs coming off, if your parameters are in check he will survive. As for it hiding that's just what they do. You likely won't see much off it other then portions of leg sticking out from under rocks. Your firefish will likely hide for the first few days or up to a week or more while it adjusts to your tank. They are a very shy fish and tend to be kinda skiddish. I got a plain red one and it hid for the first week. Now it kinda hovers a few inches from it's hide hole and if there is fast movement around the tank darts and hides for a few moments.

thegrun · 01/04/2018, 05:22 PM

The Serpent Stars usually find a hiding place and stay there for a long time. Mine recently moved after staying in the same place for over two years. It doesn't even come out at night, it will send out its legs when I feed the fish to grab food, but I rarely see it otherwise. They are hardy so assuming it wasn't injured during transportation I would expect it to make a full recovery.

01/04/2018, 05:00 PM	#1
xycose Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Posts: 23	Help with serpant sea star? I ordered a tiger banded serpant sea star(along with some other stuff like Exquisite Firefish and some hermit crabs and snails) The star fish had two legs broken off in the bag when I got the package, and after acclimating to the instructions that came with it, I dropped him in the tank and he has just moved as far under the nearest rock as he could and hasn't moved from there since a day later. Should I be worried about it and is there anything I can do for him? I googled about their legs coming off and most places seemed to say they could survive it and regrow their legs over time. The Exquisite Firefish has also been hiding behind a rock and hasn't come out once - but I'm hoping he's just getting used to his new home.

01/04/2018, 05:17 PM	#2
top shelf Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,022	I wouldn't worry to much about the legs coming off, if your parameters are in check he will survive. As for it hiding that's just what they do. You likely won't see much off it other then portions of leg sticking out from under rocks. Your firefish will likely hide for the first few days or up to a week or more while it adjusts to your tank. They are a very shy fish and tend to be kinda skiddish. I got a plain red one and it hid for the first week. Now it kinda hovers a few inches from it's hide hole and if there is fast movement around the tank darts and hides for a few moments. __________________ Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it into a fruit salad. Philosophy is wondering if that means ketchup is a smoothie. Current tank info: 45g SCA Cube

01/04/2018, 05:22 PM	#3
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	The Serpent Stars usually find a hiding place and stay there for a long time. Mine recently moved after staying in the same place for over two years. It doesn't even come out at night, it will send out its legs when I feed the fish to grab food, but I rarely see it otherwise. They are hardy so assuming it wasn't injured during transportation I would expect it to make a full recovery.