Blue Linkia Starfish

[John G]

NEw to this Board--need some info/suggestions. I did some research on the Blue Linkia and found that there does not seem to be a very high success rate of keeping them for too long. I wanted to give it a try. My reef has been doing very well, and the water quality seems to be very good (at least going by what the test kits indicate!!). Anyway, the lfs which I do alot of business with finally got one in. They told me they had it for about 7 days and they did suggest that I put it on hold and wait another 7 days before purchasing it. But, of course, I did not take them up on their offer and bought it. The linkia appeared very healthy, good color, no apparent spots or indications of stress. I acclimated it to my tank VERY slowly. I dumped some of the lfs water out of the bag and slowly added in my water until the volume had doubled. This took about 1.5 hours. I then repeated this process three times, so the entire accimation process took 4+ hours. The starfish looked ok when I finally put him in my tank. This was on Thursday evening. On Friday, it still looked ok, although one arm was dangling, so I didn't feel too good. By Saturday afternoon I knew it wasn't going to make it, but I held out hope. On Sunday morning it had already started to decompose and I could tell some of my hermits had been feeding on it so -- flushed it. I'm stubborn and would like to try again, but first I would like any suggestions on what I might do different (besides letting the lfs keep it longer). Deep down I am upset that if they are really that difficult to keep, why do the lfs's keep selling them!?!?! (I know the answer, people like me and $$$). Anyway -- suggestion please. Thanks!!!

 

[Gatortailale1]

Sorry for the loss. Welcome to the board. Please ask questions before you buy. If unsure whether you should buy something, put it on hold and post message here to see what others say about keeping it.

Advice #1: If your LFS ADVISES to keep it on hold for another week, then follow their advice. Evidently they saw something you didn't about its health. If a LFS is willing to take the risk of loss and hold it, then let them.

Advice #2: Blue linkia should be acclimated with a slow drip for almost 2 days. They are extremely sensitive to water quality change.

Advice #3: Do more research and ask people on this board what their experience is with a critter you wish to buy. YES you will get differing views, but usually you also learn some helpful things.

Advice #4: Look a little closer when you purchase your livestock. It sounds like linkia was ill to begin with if one arm was dangling after 24 hours in the tank.

[ December 18, 2001: Message edited by: Gatortailale ]</p>

 

[Anonymous]

I don't know about two days, but very slow drip acclimation is my method also. BTW, 4 hours isn't a bad acclimation time for a fish or coral, but I would triple that for any star, snail, etc. I have had success with the 12 hr method. Gator, do you really acclimate for 2 days?

 

[GMH320]

I just lost a Blue Linkia after having it for over 4 months, it seemed to be in perfect health. I posted a question to Dr. Ron Shimek (SP?) over at ReefCentral and this was his reply:

"I suspect the major problem is with chronic low salinity. Natural reef salinity would be about 1.025 or 1.026, low temperatures (world wide average reef temperatures are about 82 deg. F). At 78 deg F, the animal will have a metabolic rate of 80% of normal, and will have devote more of its limited energy reserves to trying to adjust its own internal environment to the lower than normal salinity. It can do this as long as it gets enough food. Linckia eat microfilms, detritus, and probably some small sessile inverts, and I think in many "clean" reef tanks these are in short supply. Perhaps that is the case in your system.

Bottom line, I think the animal is suffering from some salinity stress exacerbated by marginal food availability and lower than optimal temperatures.

The prognosis is not good. I would suspect the condition will be terminal, although changing the conditions might reverse it. "

Bottom line is that these are a lot more difficult to keep than people lead you to believe. I don't think I'll be getting another.

 

[RobTop]

I have had mine for nearly 18 months. Outside of a slow acclamation I have done nothing special for it. Well nothing out side of maintaining my tank to the best conditions possable. I think the key is stability. I monitor the slanity 2 times a day.And check everything else weekly. I started with a fairly small star, that might have played into to my success.

 

[Anonymous]

I would chalk it up to experience and write the whole idea off. The reason LFS's are still selling them is that it isn't well known that they aren't very viable aquarium animals. In fact quite a few texts including some recent ones that have most of our respect state they are desirable reef animals (I may be mistaken but Fenner's Conscientious Marine Aquarist gives them a positive review).

However recently it has become well known that they are quite delicate to osmotic changes and are rather specialized feeders. That 48 hour drip IS accurate btw. but pure and simple ignorance is why your LFS is selling them. I certainly won't bring them in anymore but 2 years ago I was willing.

 

[mridgep]

How does one arrive at the 48 hour acclimation?

What process has been used to determine the 48 hour appropriateness?

I'm not saying it's not 48 hours, I do know that it is considerably longer than any other acclimation process.

I just want to know how the standard came. How does one measure tolerance of osmotic change for a blue linkia? Or anything else where it is necessary for extended acclimation?

When I did the research before getting mine the standard from informed reefers was 12 hours. To make sure I did an 18 hour process.

Matt Ridge

 

[McReef1]

No one has mentioned the fact that Linkia cannot be touched by human hands or their flesh will dissolve (I have heard this is not reversible).

Can someone confirm the validity of this, or is is an "old wives tale"?

Also, John G., just curious, but who is your LFS? I am also from Denver.

McReef

 

[John G]

McReef - I suppose it is ok to name the lfs here in Denver. Great Barrier Reef on Santa Fe and Oxford. Good knowledge, friendly and good $$$, especially on additives.

 

[Rich-n-poor]

I have had sucess with numerous stars linkas included but have always avoided blue linkas for the above reasons.

I have a red linka in my tank which has been there for almost 18 months and survived thru two tank moves.

I believe salinity is the key with all stars a specific gravity of 1.025 is minimum anything less and their internal systems just cant operate
_________________
Honda XLV750R

 

[AuroraDave]

Always learning new things here...
I never heard the 48hr acclimation suggestion before and regardless of whether I do it or not, I know for certain that my LFS DOES NOT.