jnimtz March 2, 2009 March 2, 2009 There has been something really weird that happened to my largest serpent star overnight. He lives down in the sump (because he is aggressive) and has been quite content there for months. This morning when I checked in on him, his body was swollen to at least 2 and 1/2 times its normal size, and I think it is swollen with air, because he is floating. I thought at first that he was dead, but then a bit of something floated by him and he attempted to wrap a tentacle around it. I am worried that he is dying, please, someone, help me figure out what is going on!
jnimtz March 2, 2009 Author March 2, 2009 (edited) Update... I moved the serpent star to the refugium so that there would be less of a current. I also took some pics of what he looks like... Edited March 2, 2009 by jnimtz
L8 2 RISE March 2, 2009 March 2, 2009 he may have eaten something...they're able to open their mouth about as wide as their body... but I don't think that would explain the floating...
Boret March 3, 2009 March 3, 2009 This type of Serpent Star is extremely resilient. I originally got mine about 2 years ago because it look cool. Once I start adding new things in the tank I realize that it was too aggressive. At the time I didn't have a sump, but I had a tank where I was holding 2 aggressive fish, a Lion and an ondulated trigger. Before I donated the trigger it manage to eat all the limbs/tentacles from the serpent starfish about 1/2 way down. I then moved the star serpent to a newly acquired sump. In there, somehow it managed to recover and grow new tentacles. Later on I moved it into a refugium. I modify the fuge tons of times, many time without moving the serpent star (the son of a gun hides well) so it suffered from salinity changes, pH swings and wild temp changes. At some point I thought I lost it so I didn't even feed it for over 3 months. Then one day I bought some Mangroves, and planted them in the fuge by sticking them in the ground. I manage to actually impelled the starfish with one of the roots. At least I found it, right!!! So the serpent star had a 1/4 inch hole on top and a piece of mangrove root sticking out. That was almost a year ago. I remember that when that happened the serpent star grew about the size of the one in the picture. Today the serpent star is still alive, looks great!!! I wish all my livestock were that resilient! BTW... don't forward this post to PETA!
jnimtz March 3, 2009 Author March 3, 2009 (edited) This type of Serpent Star is extremely resilient. I originally got mine about 2 years ago because it look cool. Once I start adding new things in the tank I realize that it was Thanks for the hope! He is looking a lot better this morning. He has been oozing strings of tiny stick bubbles all night and now he is only swollen on one side. He is still oozing so I imagine he will be back to normal soon. Thanks again! (Here is a pic of what he looks like now): Edited March 3, 2009 by jnimtz
schenktank March 11, 2009 March 11, 2009 no i dont think hes reproducing. i have had starfish float before. i can almost garauntee he ate something...anything missing?? one of my starfish had a pretty viscous appetite and i saw him swell up and float on more than one ocassion. they poop it all out slowly and then eat more of your snails/hermits...haha
zygote2k March 14, 2009 March 14, 2009 Maybe this is a reproductive stage? no i dont think hes reproducing. i have had starfish float before. i can almost garauntee he ate something...anything missing?? one of my starfish had a pretty viscous appetite and i saw him swell up and float on more than one ocassion. they poop it all out slowly and then eat more of your snails/hermits...haha He just had to fart was all..... I don't think that it was any of these answers. Since it lives in the sump, I believe it was caused by the very turbulent water coming from the returns which made the starfish forcibly "ingest" the air bubble laden water. I think keeping it an a less turbulent area like the 'fuge is a better choice.
motti April 8, 2009 April 8, 2009 once i had a sarpent starfish with appitite for long nose butterflys..... no kidding... my wife got me a yellow nosed butterfly for my birthday, the little guy placed his nose in the pump and died, the sarpent starfish went for it, so i didn't want my wife to be upset that the fish was gone, so i went to the store and got her another one. after two days the starfish ambushed the poor fish......
Amuze April 8, 2009 April 8, 2009 i caught one eating a tang, twice! i believe it killed them in their sleep. pissed me off too.
motti April 8, 2009 April 8, 2009 you got to keep these guys well fed....... i'm pretty sure he hunted down the second butterfly.... he probably really like how it tasted the first time.
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