Signs of Starfish Stress

[Makaiveli]

When a starfish's central disc slowly begins going in and out as if it's breathing is this a bad sign?

I've had a starfish do this once before, just before it died. It goes out and in as if it's breathing.

 

[Gealcath]

If the central disk looks like it inflates and deflates often, it means its stressed by something, could be bad acclimation or bad water conditions (usually happens from incorrect acclimation), and usually die afterwords. They breath through a small hole that opens and closes on the top of the central disk.

 

[Makaiveli]

Geez

this is the second time I've had this happen. Everything else in the aquarium appears to be doing great, the zooanthids are propogating frequently, the mandarin seems happy, the pom pom is pumping nicely, the fragspawn is beautiful.

I acclimated it over 1/2 hour maybe longer. I thought star fish like this were easy to take care of.

 

[Xzibit]

Starfish are less tolerant of salinity/ph changes the 3 starfish I have I acclimated of the course of about 1hour and 20min or so. 20min to float and then about 1/2 cup of water every 10min for the hour. It has seemed to work for me.


X

 

[Gealcath]

I acclimated my chocolate chip for 1.5 hours, using 1/2 a cup every 15-20 min until the bag was mostly aquarium water, and then empty out half way and continue to fill with aquarium water until that was all there was in the bag (as in all of the water it was bagged in gets replaced by a equal amount of aquarium water over a long period of time). Alot of starfish are real hardy and easy to take care of once they are acclimated properly.

They are as mentioned very sensitive to sudden changes in salinity and ph, the slower you acclimate it the better, and i would acclimate it for at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

 

[Makaiveli]

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thank you good sirs