Brittle Star losing legs

I put formula two into the tank twice a day (once at 8am and once at 5pm). Is this too much?

-Mike

 

My guess is yes that is at least one source of your nitrates. If you feed twice a day, cut the amount in half and or add a small amount meaty food like frozen mysis in place of the Formula Two.

That is alot of food for a 37 gallon.

 

amcarrig,

As it has been explained to me by a chemist friend, ivertbates are very sensitive to the nitrites that preceed the nitratesin the denitrification process. What is your understanding? TIA

 

Hi Mirosh....you're not putting a whole cube in twice a day , are you?

With a DSB inthe tank your nitrates should be zero. I have a 4inch bed in my fuge only. Zero nitrates. Hmm.

When I feed the formula 2, it is only about 3 times per week and not even half the cube.

Other food I use include mysis, cyclopeeze, formula one for my tang, cut up fresh shrimp from the market. (I will usually select only one of these daily) and perhaps an additional daily feeding of a SMALL pinch OceanNutrition flake food. It is gone in about 15 seconds.

 

[quote author=Craig_Manoukian link=board=Inverts;num=1104169773;start=0#12 date=12/29/04 at 07:39:36]amcarrig,

As it has been explained to me by a chemist friend, ivertbates are very sensitive to the nitrites that preceed the nitratesin the denitrification process.  What is your understanding?  TIA[/quote]
Hi Craig. What you say is extremely interesting. Everything I've read and experienced so far has indicated that any type of nitrates is bad for inverts, however, I'm very interested in hearing more about this from your chemist friend!

 

This is my feeding regiment:

I have Formula Two Flake Food and Frozen Mysis cubes.

Every day I put two pinches of Formula Two flakes in (one at 8am and one at 5pm).

Every few days, (for example Tuesday and Friday), I use about 1/3 cube of Mysis in place of one of the daily pinches.

Is this too much? Should I be feeding less and/or different food? See above for livestock in the tank!

Thanks, Mike

 

MIke, that sounds good.    I do try to vary the food a bit whenever possible

 

If the feeding regiment isnt the problem...then what else could it be?

 

Brittle stars are very sensitive not to high nitrate ime ....but sudden changes of it to an extent. Size also matters. Small star regenerate and seem to combat issue more redaily, but they are also more subsetable. Also when a brittle star loses its legs (even if only the "body" is left) they can still eat and may be alive still. You described some white stuff on the stars...was it on the surface of the legs or did it seem to form dips? For future reference, pictures are invalube.

 

No pictures...sorry, the stars both died before I was able to get pictures. They were definately dead...disintegrating at the bottom of the tank! The white stuff looked chalky almost...like it was eating away at their legs...then the white parts are where the legs fell off and detached from the "body".

I guess it was the 10ppm nitrate that caused the deaths...I don't know how to get rid of the nitrate though, so I may be out of luck!