blue linkia starfish deflating

[bingncrash]

We purchased a blue linkia starfish about 3 days ago. We did the proper acclimation, and today it looks deflated. Has this happened to anyone, and is normal? If not, what to do?

 

[Tackett]

dunno, I trust starfish like I trust my brother. I dont.

Since we are on the topic, and not trying to hijack. But do linkias eat clams?

Try to see if the star will eat a nice chunk of shrimp or some other meat.

 

[Tackett]

When you say you did "proper acclimation" how did you do it? Linkas are very sensitive to fluctuations in water chemistry.

Might want to try to raise your dissolved oxygen content. AFAIK linkias are about the same as cephalopods in needing a very high o2 level.

Linkias do not tolerate temperature fluctuations, or SG fluctuations either, so if you have one make sure you have some kind of top off device to keep the Sg steady.

 

[bingncrash]

Thanks tackett. The temp and gravity was identical to what was at the LFS. We asked regarding that too.

We did research before we purchased. Linkias are algae eaters, no? Also, it's not like the serpents... it appears to move very slowly.

Not disagreeing.. just asking more questions, thats all.

 

[Anonymous]

When you say you did "proper acclimation" how did you do it?

Good question

 

[Tackett]

Thanks tackett. The temp and gravity was identical to what was at the LFS. We asked regarding that too.

We did research before we purchased. Linkias are algae eaters, no? Also, it's not like the serpents... it appears to move very slowly.

Not disagreeing.. just asking more questions, thats all.

No linkias are NOT algae eaters by any means. They are detrivores, they scavange the substrate for detrius to eat, like a sea cucumber. They are exactly like serpents in that respect. I think (though Im not positive on this one.) that they WILL eat clams if they get their hands on one. But no, they are not algae eaters, try giving it a peice of meat. Canned clams, uncooked shrimp, or some other meat. Seeing an animal eat regardless of what the animal is, is always a good sign.

 

[Tackett]

When you acclimate sensitive critters like a linkia, you have to do it with the drip method. Placing the critter in a bucket with his bagged water and slowly dripping water into the bucket from the main tank. I mean SLOWLY. Just floating the bag wont do it. If you did not acclimate him like this...then he is probably doomed.

 

[Anonymous]

Acclimation of linkias should be measured in hours, not minutes. Unfortunately, poor acclimation doesn't show up right away...it may take weeks before a linkia shows signs of poor acclimation. In other words, you could have acclimated your star for a whole day, but if the huckleberry at the LFS plopped him in the tank without proper acclimation, the starfish is most likely doomed.

Like Tackett said, they are not algae eaters, but rather consume detritus. How big is your tank...I hope it is sizeable, with lots of live rock.

 

[Tackett]

if the huckleberry at the LFS plopped him in the tank without proper acclimation, the starfish is most likely doomed.

What if that huckleberry is....Doc Holiday???

 

[Anonymous]

Doc's got more sense than that! :wink:

 

[Tackett]

:lol: true.

 

[Anonymous]

How long has your tank been set up? Linkias are usually suggested to be kept by more advanced aquarists..Although they're relatively cheap they arent recommended for the novice...They need pristine tank conditions and a mature tank will help that along with the aforesaid "proper acclimation"..

 

[bingncrash]

fwiw,

The Blue Starfish may grow to 12 inches. Omnivore, like to eat filter feed (invert food, brine shrimp, micro-plankton) a few times per week, when open.. The Linckia laevigata is generally peaceful toward other tankmates. Reef-safe. Many consider the Linckia laevigata a low-maintenance specimen. Not venomous. Algae eater. Needs places to hide. Be careful with copper-based medication and extreme nitrate levels. Keep water quality high (SG 1.023 - 1.025, pH 8.1 - 8.4, Temp. 72 - 78° F). The Blue Starfish is commonly collected from Fiji.

http://www.marinedepotlive.com/marinede ... 03574.html

But your points are well taken. We've got this guy in our 55g tank, which has been up for more than a year now.

We also have a red serpent, and green brittle stars, which are fed regularly, and are extremly healthy.

Thanks for your comments... chances are the acclimation process was too short. We're bumming.

 

[Tackett]

Wow, I dont like that article at all. Its wrong.

 

[Anonymous]

I disagree with it too...

 

[Mihai]

Sorry guys, Linckia is reef safe. It does not eat clams. Funny enough nobody knows what it eats, it does not appear to eat the algae, but rather micro-creatures that live in the algae. Anyway, the aclimatization has to be very slow, and usually somewhere on the way here it is not. Most Linckia are lost like this. Best advice: buy from another aquarist or ask the LFS to hold it for one week (or, even better, two). I got mine from a guy that moved out and it's doing great!

M.

 

[Rich-n-poor]

what is the specific gravity.....

I've keep several linkas before but have never had one last beyond 4 years

in each case they did best with gravity in the high range 1.025+

and they must be drip acclimated over a period of at least 2 hours

rich
_________________
Teen Pregnancy Forum

 

[bingncrash]

1.023, which is the identical reading the LFS has in their tanks.

 

[Anonymous]

The 'general consensus' is that they may scavenge but mostly eat algae or other films off the rock. As this article by Rob Toonen states even that generalization is suspect...

Based on the anecdotal evidence from aquaria, however, L. laevigata is generally thought to be primarily an opportunistic scavenger, perhaps being even saprophytic (preferring to consume dead items as they begin to decay), but as also been observed to apparently feed on algae and microbial films as a non-selective surface grazer. I say ‘apparently feed’ because to the best of my knowledge there has never been a single scientific study on the natural diet or nutritional requirements of these stars, and controlled feeding experiments are rarely done on animals in reef tanks at home. Therefore, all we really have are observations of what the animals seem to be sitting on and look like they might be eating - anecdotal reports of the diet and feeding preferences, but no real evidence that the animals really ingest and gain nutritional benefits from the stuff we think that they are eating in the aquarium. Having said that, however, this is the only information that we have currently on what these animals eat, so that’s what we must go with.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/ ... toonen.htm

That article has a lot of good information in it.

 

[bingncrash]

Thanks for the article lawdowg.