Red serpent start - coming apart at the seams

R

rio32

Premium Member
Well, my favorite Red star is literally coming apart at the seams. I've never had one do this.
Is he dying? I'm afraid he is. I've had him for some time and hate to lose him. If anyone has any advice
that might save him, please feel free to share.

Photo attached.
 
That is almost always a sign that it is stressed over water quality. Any nitrite, ammonia, or levels of nitrate over 30 - 40, super low ph/alkalinity, and they will start to disintegrate at the base like that.
Good news is that level of damage is completely survivable if you can get him into a better environment.

Speaking from experience with my first one. :)

Run a full water chem and post back?
 
Do you feed PE MYSIS? This can help them get back the nutrients they need as well.
 
I did have a good size fish die that I could not get to about 2 weeks ago. This could have caused the ammonia to spike. I will check the levels and get back with the results.
 
Okay here are the results and I can see the culprit.

Ammonia: less than .25 ppm closer to 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 30-40 ppm
PH: 8.2

Looks like I have a Nitrate problem.

I have a nano cube and just checked the parameters on it.
Less than 5.0 ppm on Nitrates and closer to 0 ppm

The PH in the nano is 8.0. Would it hurt to do a quick transfer to that tank?

Yes, I do feed PE Mysis but never sure that this guy gets enough as he is always out of sight at feeding time.
 
Looks more like an ammonia problem resulting in high nitrates. If you transfer it make sure that the salinity is spot on, I would make sure the ph was pretty close also.

Cheers,
 
Stars are sensitive to salinity and PH changes. If you are going to move him, I would do a slow multi hour drip since it is already stressed.

The ammonia should be absolutely unmeasurable with any hobby based tester in all salt water tanks. Otherwise there are going to be issues as Ron said.

@bimmerzs wrote:
 
Took a water sample up to my lfs and they said my ammonia is 0 ppm.
It is just hard to tell with my eyesight not the greatest and looking at those test cards vs. the tube contents.

So, no ammonia.

I am going to move the star and do a long drip acclimation.

Then I'll get the large tank under control and maybe move him back in the future if he survives.

I've had him for a couple years and never had a problem so I'm not sure what is causing my water parameter issues.

Thanks for all the input!

Tracy
 
I would stop feeding tank for 2 days and do 5-10% water changes during that time. Then feed only a little food. Also make sure you have good water movement in the tank to help nitrogen cycle point the power heads at the rocks to help this process.


Sent from inside the shark tank!
 
Okay....here's an update on big red.

He's not so big anymore. :eek:(

He is just a bunch of red legs running around.

Do I flush the legs or will they grow to be new stars?
It is really kind of creepy and zombie like.

Tracy
 
So, I should leave them alone?

Guess they don't eat until they are mature stars?

It is a serpent star, by the way. Do they reproduce the same as other stars?

Would be very cool.
 
Yes they will I cut a leg off one of my red stars by mistake and it grew back after about a month. Kinda wish the leg would have turned into a full star.
 
So are you saying the leg didn't grow into a new star? That's all I have are legs squirming around.
I know a star will grow a new leg but will a leg grow a new star? :p
 
If your legs are crawling around it sounds like they will make it. Mine was broke off before the mouth and never crawled around.


Sent from inside the shark tank!
 
@rio32 wrote:
So are you saying the leg didn't grow into a new star? That's all I have are legs squirming around. I know a star will grow a new leg but will a leg grow a new star? :p said:
My star lost a leg and is regrowing it and the lost leg started crawling around and started growing other legs
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top