? about Blue Linkia Starfish

Kart Racer · Post by **Kart Racer** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:29 pm

I have had a blue linkia for around a year or so now and about 2-3 months ago it looked like it was doomed. Its arms were all withering away and are now almost completely gone. All that is left is the middle "disc" and the arms are maybe 1/4 the length that they were but it is all over the tank and doesnt appear to be getting any worse. It really looks like it did before with the exception of its arms being so short. Is this something that maybe it will get past and get back to normal size or is it on the way out or any other ideas on this? This is the first linkia I have had.

Jeff

Post by **snoopdog** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:50 pm

The one I had did the same thing, looked like it was rotting from the ends. I also had some red serpent stars do the same thing. I think it is basically starved and there is probably not much hope. Once it depleted it's food, whatever that is....

KrazyPlace · Post by **KrazyPlace** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 10:37 pm

Check out this thread on Reefs.org. The last post on the thread has some good information.

http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.p ... a10996b9ba

Fishfood · Post by **Fishfood** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 8:19 am

The last poster ophiuroid knows what she is talking about. I use to read here posts on saltwaterfish.com. She has been studying stars for years. Her primary focus is on serpant stars and brittle stars from what I remember.

Have the legs healed? I mean they aren't all nasty and rotting away but are now smooth stubs? If so I would imagine they would grow back. I knew of someone who was using a orange lankia as a feeder star and the legs kept growing back.

We all know there are exceptions to the norm but I believe what Ophiuroid said is the norm.

Blues in nature can get huge. I had an ex-girlfriend who went to Indonesia to do research with school and she said the blues were everywhere, but they were the size of basketballs or bigger.

Kart Racer · Post by **Kart Racer** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 12:23 pm

Yes the legs are smooth again, just real short.

Fishfood · Post by **Fishfood** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 12:30 pm

I would expect them to grow out then. When you first noticed this problem did you have any changes in the tank? It sounds like your star likes the tanks conditions and something could have changed all of a sudden that caused it to stress out and drop its legs.

Kart Racer · Post by **Kart Racer** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 2:57 pm

Not that I remember, I havent added anything fish or coral wise in a while now.