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FAQs about Green Brittlestars, Ophiarachna
incrassata Health Related Articles: Brittlestars, Sea
Stars, An Introduction to the
Echinoderms: The Sea Stars, Sea Urchins, Sea Cucumbers and
More... By James W. Fatherree, M.Sc.
Related FAQs: Green Brittlestars
1, Green Brittlestars 2, & FAQs on:
Green Brittlestars Identification,
Green Brittlestars Behavior,
Green Brittlestars Compatibility,
Green Brittlestars Selection,
Green Brittlestars Systems,
Green Brittlestars Feeding,
Green Brittlestars Reproduction, &
Brittlestars 1, Brittlestars
2, Brittlestars
3, & Brittlestar ID, Brittlestar
Behavior, Brittlestar Compatibility,
Brittlestar Selection, Brittlestar
Systems, Brittlestar Feeding,
Brittlestar Disease, Brittlestar
Reproduction, & Seastar
Selection, Seastar Compatibility, Seastar
Systems, Seastar Feeding, Seastar
Reproduction, Seastar Disease,
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Going, going... gone. |
Sick Seastar
I have a green brittle star that i just recently purchased...his legs are starting to fall off...first they are turning pink and then the spines are falling off and then his leg falls
off. he is still alive but i want to make sure there is nothing wrong with him...i do have a horseshoe crab but the star is in a hard to reach cave...is there a bacteria eating him or is this
normal. please help i am very
worried. Thanks
>>
Not normal, and not a good sign... I suspect your brittle star was/is infected and its health impaired from collection, shipping and handling... It will either self-heal or perish... if the latter, do try and remove the remains from your system.
Bob FennerSick Serpent Star
Hi,
I read your responses to other peoples questions and they were very helpful.
<Ah, good>
I have a green Serpent Star named Pepe that is about 4 years old and he has
recently become quite sick. I noticed that one of his legs has detached from
the socket and then later that day, a piece broke off of another leg.
<Not good signs>
I recently had an algae problem and my water quality is not the best right now.
I have a 33 gallon hex tank with only have one other fish in the tank with
some live rock. I thought if I slowly changed the water over a period of time
to improve the water quality, it may help him. I vacuumed and changed only 4
gallons of water. The next day he broke off half of another leg and the next
day another half. He is still trying to eat but he is having a hard time
getting food. I also noticed that he has two large vertical openings
underneath his disc on each side of one of his legs where I can see his
insides. I can't tell if those are the only openings. Also, where he lost is
full leg, now there is an opening to inside his disk.
<Time to make much more concerted attempts at improving water quality...>
I read all of your responses to related questions and was hopeful that he may
recover but now I am not so sure. Should I continue to change a few gallons
of water everyday to help improve his conditions or will that make matters
worse? I also don't know what to do with the detached leg pieces. The are
still moving and although I know they can't live forever, it seems weird to
flush them when there are still alive.
<I would make a massive (like half) water change if you can be sure the new water is "okay"... better if it were pre-made up and stored ahead of use... but I wouldn't wait even if it had to be made now and used... And do gravel vacuum the bottom in removing the present water. Also, I would add some activated carbon to your filter... And clean out whatever filter gear you do have in the process. Do you have live rock?>
I'm sorry to send you such a lengthy e-mail and I appreciate any information
that you can give me to help save Pepe's life.
<The length of these messages is of little concern. Supplying enough information, expressing yourself is. Good luck my friend. Bob Fenner>
Thanks,
Gina
Re: Sick Serpent Star
Wow - I can't believe you responded so quickly. You are so sweet for sharing
your knowledge with me.
<An honor m'lady>
I do have live rock in my tank. What percentage of water should I change at a
time without hurting my other fish but still helping my Serpent Star?
<Perhaps 20-25 percent.>
You're the best.
Thanks,
Gina
<Again, good luck my friend. Be of good life. Bob Fenner>
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Wounded green brittle starfish 7/18/03
I have a green brittle starfish that has opened on the top and it looks like
a bunch of yellow seeds .It is still alive and doing well. what happened?
<the creature has a wound caused by injury or septic infection. You may need
to QT it... but do maintain superb water quality in the meantime and feed as
best as you can to help it recover. Best regards, Anthony>
-Brittle star infection-
Hi All!! I am wondering about the different types of diseases for green
brittle starfish. I have one that is having some major problems right
now and don't know what is going on or how to treat it. Two days ago,
I noticed some brown fungus looking "stuff" on the body of the star. I
paid no attention as I figured it was algae that happened to settle onto it. The
next day however, there was a chunk of skin missing from the star. <Ooo,
sounds like it's getting an infection> I could see the orangish red coloring
of its insides and to top it off, today was worse. It has since lost
one arm which is wriggling about the aquarium and I can see down to the bone of
the star. It still has the brownish colored stuff on it, but the chunk seems to
be getting bigger. I don't know if some tankmate has been beating on
it or if it is some sort of disease. Any type of help would be
greatly appreciated. Star is quarantined, but I don't know how to
help it. <That's great that it's quarantined, but unfortunately, it's very
rare that they survive infections such as you're experiencing. Attempting
antibiotics would be risky at best, so the best you can do is keep the water
quality in tip-top shape by removing any dead/half-dead parts of the star should
they begin to fall off. -Kevin> Thanks again,
Todd
Dying Brittle Star? (2/17/04)
Bob, <Steve Allen tonight.> I have a green serpent
star and have had him for about 4 months now. He has been doing well up
until this AM. I was feeding him small dead frozen fish from a local
saltwater dealer. <Are these fish that died of some unknown cause or
fish that are intended as food?> He would eat that no problem, then
about 2-3 weeks ago he stopped eating them. I assumed the fish were no
good (freezer burn?) and pitched them. I have been trying to feed him some
freeze dried food to no avail. <I generally feed mine a cheap fresh
seafood assortment from my local Albertson's.>
Today I noticed he has two holes on the top of his body.
<Uh Oh!> He still seems to be moving about normally but I can't get
him to eat. <Not good. These creatures are usually voracious
eaters.> I recently did do a move of the 55 gallon aquarium that he is
in along w/ four perculas, 1 Sailfin tang, and two green Chromis. At the
current moment my salinity is a little low and in the process of raising
it. <If you did not slowly acclimate the starfish to the salinity, temp
and pH of the new tank, he may be suffering from shock.> Temp at about
75. any suggestions or ideas on what this might be. <Some sort of toxic
effect. Once they start to disintegrate, they almost never survive. You
could try putting him in a QT (starting with tank water) and keeping the
water pristine. A broad-spectrum antibiotic might be helpful, but I am not
optimistic for the survival of a Brittlestar with a deteriorating central
disk, sorry to say.> |
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Green brittle star loses all legs 29 Jun 2005
Hi
my green brittle star just lost all of its legs over a period of 2 days.
<....>
I have him and his legs in their own one gallon tank now.
<?>
All system parameters are were they should be. do you have any idea what's
happening. in the tank i have one Koran Angel (left the starfish alone), one
Clarkii Clown (left the star alone), one Scooter Blenny (very peaceful), one
Lemonpeel Angel (didn't bother the starfish that i know of)
No rock collapses either
any idea
thanks
<Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brittlestardisfaqs.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
Green Brittle Star
11/10/05
I have a green brittle star and a black brittle star. We did a water change
a few days ago. Everything stayed pretty consistent as far as pH saltwater etc. However a few days after the change my Green star disk started
swelling it looks like he swallowed a rock and he's going to explode. Then a few days after my Green star did this my black star started as well. What
is going on?
<... mmm, maybe a reaction to the water change... but possibly from eating, reproductive products?>
Does it have anything to do with the water change (I was thinking it might but wouldn't they have started showing this right after
the change not days later)?
<Not necessarily>
Could it possibly be air bubbles?
<Doubtful>
I have a bubble tube under the gravel to emit little bubbles to float to the top is
it possible they swallowed air bubbles and can't get rid of the air? They are still moving and everything but the green one just yesterday had a arm
come off. Both the Green starfish and his severed arm are continuously moving. Let me know what I should do.
<... keep on keeping on...>
I also just read on your website that the green brittle star can eat sleeping fish (can the black one also?)
<Mostly Ophiarachna amongst commonly kept Brittlestars...>
Maybe that is what has been happening to my fish. I have a well established maroon clown who always hangs out in his anemone but when I try to add any
new fish like tangs they are fine during the day and then mysteriously over night they are dead with just their skeleton floating around or with crabs
and starfish eating the body in the morning.
<Oops... time to get a flashlight out, check during the night...>
I thought the starfish and crabs were eating them after they died. Is it possible that either the crab
or the starfish actually caught the fish and killed them?
<Oh yes>
Please get back to me as soon as you can. This is beginning to quickly become an expensive
project.
Sherri Berg
<Bob Fenner> Re: Green Brittle Star 11/10/05
Thank you for getting back to me so quickly. The Black star fish looks like
his stomach came out and he was eating something last night. This morning I checked on him and he looks fine his big hump is gone. However my green
one is not looking so good. He has lost another leg, still has his hump and is not coming out during feeding time.
Sherri Berg
<Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brittlestars.htm
and the linked files above, particularly "Disease". Bob Fenner> Green Brittle Star 9/30/05
Hi, recently I bought a green brittle starfish last week on Tuesday. The pet
store had a display tank which they took down and put in separate tanks to be
sold. The brittle starfish I bought was from that display tank. <The most
common cause of problems with these animals is shipping stress. If this animal
was already established in captivity, then it has to be something else...>
My point is that now my starfish is like eating it's legs or something of the
sort. It's folding it's legs under him and I don't know if he's just cutting
them off or eating them (maybe both -.- ). Is he doing this because he's
stressed from all the moving around or what? <Most likely, yes. These animals
are very sensitive to changes in salinity and pH. It is most often recommended
to acclimate them to a new tank over several hours and many folks actually use a
"drip method" where a piece of airline with a loose knot is used to drip tank
water into the bag water at a rate of one drop per second or so.>
One more thing, my dad also moved the starfish from one side of the tank to the
other because we were afraid it was going after the damsels since he was in
their hiding place. Since we moved him, I feel he has been depressed or
something. They told us to feed him once a month. Is he just hungry? I hope
you can help,
I really don't want him to die. <Usually, when these animals start losing arms,
they are doomed. If it does recover, I would suggest small weekly feedings. I
would also watch it carefully for signs of predatory behavior, as they are quite
capable of capturing fish. Best Regards. AdamC.>
Green Brittle Star Dying? 10/6/06
Hi,
<Hello>
I have a 45 gallon saltwater reef tank and have had a Green Brittle Star in
there for about a year now. He is rather large and today I noticed one of my
small anemones affixed itself to the brittle star's body (on the top).
<!>
Well, when I came home, all I saw was a little bit of the anemone's tentacles
protruding from the upper part of brittle star's body.... Obviously he
penetrated it's skin and had moved INSIDE the brittle star.
<Mmm, likely the two were/are caught in a predaceous act... to the detriment of
the Serpentstar>
Well, the brittle star has continued to develop more "holes" on its upper body
and is "hiding" by the filter versus behind the live rock (where it has remained
for the last X months).
Any advice.... Is the anemone eating the brittle star from the inside out... or
is it the other way around??
<A bit of both. Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brittlestardisfaqs.htm
and the linked files above. BobF>
Thanks,
Craig Donnelly
Green Brittle Star 9/30/05
Hi, recently I bought a green brittle starfish last week on Tuesday. The pet
store had a display tank which they took down and put in separate tanks to be
sold. The brittle starfish I bought was from that display tank.
<The most
common cause of problems with these animals is shipping stress. If this animal
was already established in captivity, then it has to be something else...>
My point is that now my starfish is like eating it's legs or something of the
sort. It's folding it's legs under him and I don't know if he's just cutting
them off or eating them (maybe both -.- ). Is he doing this because he's
stressed from all the moving around or what?
<Most likely, yes. These animals
are very sensitive to changes in salinity and pH. It is most often recommended
to acclimate them to a new tank over several hours and many folks actually use a
"drip method" where a piece of airline with a loose knot is used to drip tank
water into the bag water at a rate of one drop per second or so.>
One more thing, my dad also moved the starfish from one side of the tank to the
other because we were afraid it was going after the damsels since he was in
their hiding place. Since we moved him, I feel he has been depressed or
something. They told us to feed him once a month. Is he just hungry? I hope
you can help,
I really don't want him to die.
<Usually, when these animals start losing arms,
they are doomed. If it does recover, I would suggest small weekly feedings. I
would also watch it carefully for signs of predatory behavior, as they are quite
capable of capturing fish. Best Regards. AdamC.>
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Green Brittle Star part 2 10/3/05
Hi again, Thx for taking time out of your day to help me out. I
have one more question, that I didn't think about asking. =P Since this
is happening to my starfish, do I have to take him out of the
tank? Will he get the other fish sick since he is sick? <When it
becomes clear that it isn't going to survive (it doesn't look good), I
would remove it so that it does not foul the water, but the condition is
not contagious.>
I also attached two pictures of what he looks like now. What is that
white stuff that seems to be oozing out of one of
his arms? Thanks again for taking the time to answer my
questions. <Glad to help! The white stuff is simply dying
tissue. Best Regards. AdamC.> |
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Problem with my Green Serpent Starfish (The Headless Starfish)
I have had my serpent starfish for well over a year and he has doubled in size and has been such a joy to us. We had him in a 150 gallon tank full of
live rock and he would always get behind it and make other rocks fall...so about a month ago we started a small 55 gallon tank just to add him and a few
pieces of rock along with one male and one female clown. We tested the waters
before adding the things to the new tank and made sure it was established. We
put him in my sons room because he loves to watch him. He has been crawling all over the tank, and has been eating very well. On Saturday night
when I
went to bed I fed the clowns and I also fed him. When we woke up on Sunday
Morning... his central disc had completely blown up... I could see everything
inside his body the whole top is gone. He was still moving all about the
tank. Today is Monday night and all the brown stuff that was inside him is now
a white color but he is still very active and moving about the tank.
I have
noticed that his all attached 5 limbs are still trying to catch food but he
has nowhere to put it. Could you please tell me what I should do.
<Nothing much "to do"... but hope that this animal will self-cure>
I immediately removed the clowns from the tank and added them to the 150
gallon tank so
he is all alone. I read that they do not have brains so they do not
experience pain......but I am experiencing enough pain for him. My son WILL
NOT let
me flush his as long as he is still moving around the tank.
<I agree... leave this animal be>
I just do not
see how he is going to recover. Please send me any information that will be
helpful. Thank you so much in your quick response.
Brandi Vickers
<Ophiuroids, Brittlestars have remarkable "powers of regeneration"... Am hopeful
yours will recover. Do your best to "leave it alone" (not add "medicines"), keep
water quality stable... Bob Fenner>
Re: Problem with my Green Serpent Starfish (The Headless Starfish)
9/16/05
I am sorry to report that I had to flush the starfish. His legs became
detached from his body and he began to have a foul odor. He was still moving
two
of the legs that were attached to nothing. I do plan on getting another
one, he was very interesting and I loved to watch it. And he did last over a
year before we lost him. I am hoping I did not make a bad decision to flush
him now. Do you really think he could have "regenerated" himself?
<Not at this/that point... I would have done the same>
Thanks for
all your help.
Brandi
<Very important to "match" the water quality... even better to actually move a
good deal of existing water to new systems with this species, other echinoderms.
Bob Fenner>
Brittle
Star... rotting – 09/17/07
Uh oh.. I am starting to worry again. I have attached some pics so
you can see what is going on with my "green monster" (that's what I call
him ) I think he is dying as he looks like he is rotting! What do you
think?
Gilma
<Hmm, read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/brittlestardisfaqs.htm
and the linked files above. BobF> |
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Green brittle star...is it
dead? 02/02/2008
I have a had green brittle star for about a week. The middle is the size of
a quarter. LFS said it would be a good bottom cleaner. Parameters ok, temp 78.
It ate a piece of shrimp from my hand last night. After it ate the shrimp it
crawled on top on of a boat decoration and today when I went to check my
parameters I bumped the boat and the star fell off in the same position that it
was in on the boat. It is rather stiff. I
placed it on my live rock as that is where it has preferred to hide. I am
watching for movement but I am seeing none. It has never really
moved much that I have seen but I do not think that it should be stiff like this
should it? Any help would be great. Thanks.
<<For all intents and purposes, I would class this as dead.. Yes, they are not a
big mover in the aquarium, however, being knocked of a perch like that, I would
certainly expect a reaction from it. Sorry confirm your thoughts.>>
Jessica
<<Thanks for the question. A Nixon>>
Green Brittle Star…Sick Or
Reproducing? – 04/1/08
I have had a green brittle star for 9 months in a 120 gallon tank. It has
been healthy & grown well!
<<Mmm… Ophiarachna incrassata? Can indeed get large…and is known to ambush and
eat fish>>
Without any indication of being sick, in a matter of less than 24 hours, it
rubbed itself against a rough piece of live rock & sawed itself into 4 pieces
(all but one have a chunk of the body on it).
<<You actually saw this? Strange…>>
How can you tell if it did this because it is sick or reproducing?
<<Don’t know that you can…though this seems extreme for reproductive behavior>>
What are the chances any of the pieces will survive?
<<Not uncommon for those pieces with bits of the oral disc attached to grow in
to/become whole animals again…in the wild. Not so much…in captivity>>
All four are moving about the tank with ease.
<<About all you can do is keep an eye on them…remove if they ”die” and begin to
decompose>>
Thanks for your advice.
Kristie
<<Happy to share. EricR>>
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