Brittle Star Help?! Is somethiing eating it?

[higorc]

I got a Brittle Star the other day and it was perfect doing well. But since a couple days ago I started noticing that it's arms were getting shorter. Yes! Like it's falling off little by little or something is eating it!

Well, this morning 2 of it's arms r pretty much trimmed down to nothing... WTH!? I have never seen this before.

Could any of my inhabitants been eating it? Here is what I have;


-Yasha+Pistol Shrimp pair
-Sallyfoot Crab
-Cleanner Shrimp
-Hermits
-Anthias
-Tangs
-Cardinals
-Helfrich Firefish
-Blue Mandarine


I couldn't find any info on any of these guys that would make me think they r eating the Brittle Star. I know Harlequim Shrimp eats Star Fishes, but a Pistol Shrimp wouldn't do it right?

I am just stumped about all this!!!

Thanks
Higor

 

[Flame Angel]

How are your water parameters?

I have seen this before, but cannot remember the cause off the top of my head.

I am sure someone will chime in here shortly with an answer.

 

[higorc]

Never really thought to check it. There are no other issues with any live stock that made me think it could be anything with water quality. I usually don't even get any kind of Algae growing anywhere. Besides Coraline. But it doesn't hurt to check. I will do a complete water test when I get home.

But I can't imagine how that would make it's arms slowly drop, little piece by little piece...I really think something is nipping at it. But I could be way off....


"edit"

I take back what I said about water quality not being able to make them drop their legs. I just read through some posts on another Reef club with people having the same issue. I guess it's not just if water quality is bad, but a lot to do with going from "one tank to another". Or change in their environments.

 

[Owen386]

they can definitely lose arms if stressed

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 2

 

[Turbosnail]

Star fish are none for getting bacteria infections and it makes them deteriorate. You may want to google it and see if there is any way to dip them or anything and help get rid of the bacteria.

 

[higorc]

Yeah, I have been looking for him since I ot home and haven't been able to find it?! I hate to say this, but I think he is dead somewhere.

I never had this happen to me before...

 

[P-Nut]

Maybe you got a weak one, just bad luck.
I never had that happen to any of my brittle or serpent stars, they are usually very hardy.

 

[Turbosnail]

It may have had something wrong with it when you got it. Where did you get it?

 

[higorc]

I picked this one up at Petco last Wednesday for $8.99 I think. It looked healthy enough, and I was looking for one to strengthen my clean up crew. It sucks, I feel really bad losing live stock...

 

[Turbosnail]

Well there is your problem it most likely had a bacteria infection when you got it and just could not recover.

 

[Flame Angel]

Through the years I have even seen them not so much lose their legs. But look like there was a hole burnt through the main part of their body.