Vacation loss

cnovak · Post by **cnovak** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 1:07 pm

Well, i just came back from vacation in VA and found my orange linkia lifeless in my tank, also my green favites brain has a large amount of bleaching on it. i really need to invest in a digital camera. Was just wondering if this dead spot will come out again or is this going to be a permanent color of my brain? Everything else is doing wonderful and all perameters are on the money so don't really know what happened (surprised my levels aren't up w/a dead star in there). Although i did have my lights on a shorter schedule because i didn't want a large build up of algea when i returned home. Also my linkia was pretty much mush when i tried to get him out and went everywhere. Should i do a water change to try and get most of his flesh out of the tank or will my crabs benifit from his corpse? That sounds kinda sick

Thanks for any help.

Xster · Post by **Xster** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 1:51 pm

I would do a small water change to be on the safe side, and try to get most of the dead tissue out if possible. I would not want anything decaying in my tank. The crabs might eat it and yet they might not. Should not risk it. Good luck.

tbmoore · Post by **tbmoore** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 6:13 am

Linka's are very hard to keep. Is that the only on you have in your tank? How big is your tank and how old and how much rock? He might have starved to death or if you have not had him that long it could have been shock. Sorry for the loss. Terry

cnovak · Post by **cnovak** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 3:02 pm

i have a 29 gal w/about 65# of LR, been up since the beginning of Aug. He was the only one i had. Picked him up about a week before i left on vacation. i slow dripped him for 3 hours to acclimate. i was told that the orange were more hardier than the blue so that's why i went that route.

tbmoore · Post by **tbmoore** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 5:18 pm

My guess is he was already dead from shipping or before shipped and was just hanging on. Someone might have a different idea on this but even if he was healthy he would have starved to death anyway within a couple of months. It takes a well established tank and a lot more live rock to maintain linka's. Sorry for your loss but I would do some more research before geting another. One source would saltwaterfish.com and look up a member called (ophiura). That is their resident expert so to speak on starfish. He or she will be able to answer your questions on linka's or any other starfish with a lot of experience and Knowledge on this topic. Good look and again sorry for your loss. I have lost a couple of the little critters. I now have a blue and purple in a 240gal with well over 300# of rock and they have been there couple of months. Time will tell if these will survive. Terry

cnovak · Post by **cnovak** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 1:56 am

see i was even told by people at their web site that they would feed mostly off the glass. Once again goes to show you that people will say anything to get a couple $$$. i don't think i will try another again i have 2 serpent stars that i enjoy alot i was just trying to add more color to my tank and something that i could watch in my tank since i really can't put more fish in. It sucks to be a beginner because you always fall into the trap of oh that looks cool i need it w/out doing the research. Although i did go to a couple of different sites before i purchased. Is there anything to do about my brain though, or is the dead spot lost? Thanks again

Post by **snoopdog** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 8:50 am

I had a blue linkia for nearly 3 years before it died. Of course all the starfish died the same month with the same symptoms. I think there was something missing in the water or lack of water changes on my part at the time.

tbmoore · Post by **tbmoore** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 6:19 pm

Don't feel bad...Most of us have had to return something on have been misled....Greed is very strong in this business. Terry