Help: Both of my starfish are .?

Question

my 2 starfish are dying (Fromia and Astropecten polycanthus). It seems that their arms are getting smaller and smaller (atrophying).
Any suggestion?

Answer 1

Your fromia needs to be in a mature tank to survive. You can try buying dried algae or veggie flakes and putting a bit under it for food. Same with your sand sifter. Both can be intorlerant of change in the water. Make sure you are topping off your tank often and keeping up with your water changes.
A

Answer 2

Sand sifting star rotting leg...PLEASE HELP!!! 9/16/06
HI,

have a 55 gal. tank, 70+ lbs live rock, 4+ inches of sand coral mix a few blue leg crabs and turbo snails.
The reason I write is my sand sifting sea star is starting to, well, come apart. His leg became white & finally, I guess, rotted off in about a 24 hour span of time.

He is new to my tank. It's a tank I bought recently & relocated (water & all) after they sold the fish out of it. It was set up for about 3 years.
My salinity & PH & everything else was absolutely perfect.
I bought this star at the local pet shop & the guy running it told me to acclimate for 15 min... I had never heard of such, so I was going to go longer like I had read in the past online (2-3 hrs). but the bag sprung a leak after I got home & he only got about 45 min.
Is this the problem or do you suspect something else?

How long before he regenerates - if he can... The leg turned white & began to burst at the edges & then appear to rot off about 24 hrs after introduction to the tank & the process of loosing the leg took about 24 hrs more before it was completely gone. He moves about the tank but has a gross stump with fingery brown stuff hanging out of it..
Suggestions and info about the how it happened, why it happened & what now appreciated greatly.
Should I return him or wait it out or what?
and the linked files above, particularly on Asteroid Disease/Health. Bob Fenner>
Best,
Brian Steward

This shortening of other arms could be due to calcium
transference from the nonregenerating arms to the regenerating one. Factors
that may affect regeneration time include temperature of the water, amount
of food available and type of food available.

Answer 3

This is very common among starfish. When they reach a ripe old age, they will die. Go to the beach and get some more. They are practically free. I'm sure that your two weird named starfish had lived a great fun filled life.