Melting starfish (formia)

[dreamaloud]

My formia star; months in my tank and having no problems besides his two missing legs but he came to me that way and seemed fine otherwise, suddenly started melting and turning white yesterday. No changes in water but I did add a tomato clown, the tanks only fish. I have not seen anything in the tank (hermits, snails and a pom pom crab so far) pester him at all, including the fish.

Here he is fine and healthy:

http://www.lucidrealms.net/images/gimpy.jpg

And today, shots with and without flash:

http://www.lucidrealms.net/images/gimp1.jpg

http://www.lucidrealms.net/images/gimp2.jpg

Sorry about the quality he's always hard to get a picture of. Thanks for any help.

-Alex

[FLricordia]

I've seen them melt with a drastic change in PH (too low). Has to be something with the water though. Maybe when you added the fish and possibly fed, the system was overtaxed and either it was excess ammonia that got it or else excess nutrients caused a shift in PH.

[ophiuroid]

Simply: starvation.

Most need very large systems, 100g plus, with over 100lbs of LR. Their diet is highly specialized, similar to a Linckia, and most will starve in smaller tanks in 6-12 months. In addition, if it did not regrow the original lost arms, this was also a sign that it was not getting enough energy/food.

Major water quality shifts are also concerns, especially in these small systems. What are your parameters?

But, IMO, it is more likely starvation.

[dreamaloud]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8294383#post8294383 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ophiuroid
But, IMO, it is more likely starvation.

I've seen you posting on this issue a few times now that I've had a chance to read back and I had no idea stars were so specialized, I wish I hadn't gotten one and I won't pay for another. It seems they really can't (or shouldn't) be maintained in an aquarium with such a range of reef needed to feed them.

What exactly do they feed on? I assume target feeding is very difficult.

Wish I had known, :( I won't kill another.

[ophiuroid]

Their specific diet is poorly known. THey probably feed on algal/bacterial films (or the microscopic critters that feed on it), or other encrusting creatures (bryozoans, certain sponges, etc). Success with keeping them long term is highly correlated with the amount of LR in the system, and getting one that spot feeds is very rare indeed, IMO.

[IPowderBlueTang]

I have kept stars for awhile and they actually starve to death in our tanks, they will shrink, lose their colour and fall apart and die. I second ophiuroid opinion.