Sea Star Infection?

[M.Dandaneau]

Over the years, I commonly run accross what has all the earmarks of a virul infection in sea stars........I've encountered it often enough to know when it's come in again and to realize it's fairly common, yet I've never seen anything written or discussed about it.

Once in the tank/system any sea star exposed gradually begins to deteriorate, usually from the tip of one arm, then it gradually spreads throughout the entire animal.

While the Asteroidea (sea stars) seem to be the originators, it will also spread to the Ophiuroidea (brittle stars), while Echinoidea (urchins) and Holothuroiea (sea cucumbers) seem to remain unaffected.

I've tried amputating infected arms and removing the animals to treatment tanks and treating with both gram negative and gram positive antibiotics with absolutely no success.

Once an infection has run its course and eliminated any and all sea stars or brittle stars in the system, others can be introduced in as little time as a month, indicating it has to have a live host to live and spread and vanished almost immediately without them.

Mike

[Anthony Calfo]

Very interesting question. Thank you for posing it!

I'm not sure if I have anything useful to contribute here though. I've done no research on the pathology. It seems a bit odd though that stars run through QT would express these symptoms once put in tanks that have been fallow of such stars. For the pathogen to be so infectious, it seems higly improbably that it was/is laying dorment for such long perios of time (proper 4 week QT and the week + fallow period of the fielding display).

You may need to take this one to the academics and researchers my friend.

I'm just back from IMAC and answering a lot of mail. I do not have a digital list handy for you, but if you'll check out the bibliography of my last book "Reef Invertebrates", there are some fantastic references for sea stars.

with kind regards,

Anthony

[M.Dandaneau]

LOL! I'm aware and just a little jealous of not being able to attend.......I've recently met an on-line friend who is one of your most ardent supporters, and not without due cause.

What I find most fascinating about this infection is that is ALWAYS comes in with purchased specimens, and I've never brought it in with wild caught animals, which would seem to indicate it's alien in origin (as in not Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico:D )

I'll check the bibliography and go from there.

It's been my experience that there are truly very few marine "scavengers" as such, with the vast amjority being in actuality specialized predators of one sort or another.

Thanks again,
Mike

[Anthony Calfo]

Ah, very good/interesting point about the expression of the disease/symptoms in purchased corals versus wild. It would not be witout precedent either! There was a perceived problem in the mid 90's with Acroporid speficic pathogens in the central filtration systrems of some of the biggest LA wholesalers for years before they finally conceded to break down/sterilize tanks (or move, as one place did for an upgrade with the benefit of shaking free of the pathogen).

I'll try to keep my eyes/ears open for relavent info/data to bring back to this thread when I come across it :)

With kind regards,

Anthony