Dead Linkia?

[MzWeazelle]

I think I've had a death, but haven't had the linkia for long enough to know what they do. First time my bubble coral shrunk up and turned grey I nearly cried!

Just put him in on Saturday after 5-6 hours of acclimation. He seemed fine yesterday, though he didn't move around much. Tonight found him up against the glass, one leg bent over backward, with "something" coming from his "mouth". Moved him to a rock and his legs drooped, but still no movement.

I understand they can be very hard to introduce, so I won't be surprised if we lost him, but don't want to toss him if this is just some normal thing.

Also put a small, red starfish (not linkia) in at the same time, which seems to be doing just fine.

 

[NaH2O]

Sounds like your acclimation procedure was fine. I will ask what your specific gravity is because sometimes they don't tolerate lower SG too well. Here's a link for you:

Sea Stars -- Linckia sp.

 

[MzWeazelle]

Read the link - thanks!

Sounds like I may have been a little quick in acclimation, or rather I didn't add tank water often enough and therefore didn't mix enough in with the original water.

Don't know what the SG of the LFS tank was, but mine generally hovers around 1.023, so it may be a little low also.

At this point I just need to know how long to watch the fellow trying to decide whether it's alive or dead. If I've lost him I don't want to pollute my tank with decaying starfish. :-(

 

[reefsupply]

I have had a lot of the blue die fast but the purple seems to fair better (gulf), I have also had a rash of deaths in sand sifters too, so dont feel so bad.I give them 3 hrs then if no movement I place them in a isolated tank. I have been right about 80% of the time.

 

[MzWeazelle]

Unfortunately no isolated tank to use, but I'm afraid it probably doesn't make too much difference anyway. I've been watching him since for better than 4 hours and no sign of movement. Doesn't sound good.

I have a sand-sifting star and the new little red star. Is this a disease, or just an acclimation process problem?

 

[reefsupply]

just an acclimation problem, the ones that die at the shop were always rushed in the tanks

 

[MzWeazelle]

Thanks.

Everyone else in the tank seems to be doing fine, but the linkia was definitely dead & starting to decay. Glad I took him out last night when I did. Yuck!

I'll probably try again after I get the SG up a bit. I know it's not dangerously low, but it sounds like we are lower than most everyone else. No point in stressing everything I bring in!

 

[horge]

I have had a lot of the blue die fast but the purple seems to fair better (gulf)...

The 'purple Linckia' is sometimes no Linckia at all, but rather the more-predatory star Tamaria stria --the latter are faster moving, and deploy orange tube feet from under its arms, rather than the clear-whitish tube feet of the Linckia.

True Linckia stars can be sluggish, and largely get by on a harmless diet of biofilms.