I tried to pull the worm off my star fish but it was inside as well. My star fish is doing fine I think, however one day a growth was on it back so I remove it, it was like hanging and hard so I removed it. Now there a half inch growth yellowish, red around some side. The growth is lodge in between the peck around the center of the back of the star fish. The same place where the worm went inside. As I look to the side it look like eggs and than when I look down on it it could be pus. What should I do? I do not have another tank to put the star fish in and I'm worried about the other fishes in the tank. Two clowns, and one shrimp. The star fish color is fine, she not slimmie, she move around the tank, she eats, This growth was not on her two days ago, now it big and look like it what to pop. I've being going throught this with her for about two and a half week now. Since the worm went inside her, I though I killed the worm when I pulled it off. Does anyone know what I should do.
2007-07-05 16:05:46 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
the worm was attached to the back where this big growth is now. The worm curled and was half in and half out of the star fish...the back not underneath. This growth swells like it has fluided inside then as you watch it it goes down all by itself in a day or two. However the growth is still there. Sometime I wonder If it's getting another point around the circle in the center of it's back since this is where the growth is.
2007-07-06 21:10:21 · update #1
Any chance of getting a photo of this? I'm not really sure what you're seeing from the description.
Was the worm a worm like a featherduster? http://www.mauiscuba.com/wrecks/arizona_pix/feather_duster.jpg Or bristly, like a bristleworm? http://www.kwajaleinscubaclub.com/photos/johnson-critters/Bristleworm.jpg
It's possible that if the worm was attached on the underside of the sea star, that the star was eating it.
There should be an opening slightly off-center on the back of the starfish - this is called a madreporite, and it's where water is pumped in and out of its body to move the tube feet. The opening itself shouldn't be a cause for concern, but if it's damaged or infected, it would be. And there will be a more centralized opening which is an anus - if this is where you're seeing the "eggs" you might be seeing fecal pellets.
2007-07-06 18:14:31 · answer #1 · answered by copperhead 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The worm is probably a polychaete worm or a flatworm.
Most worms that live with starfish are mutualistict-symbiotic (living together to benefit each other). They eat the starfish's leftovers and stuff on their skin so that the starfish can remain healthy. Starfish breathe and poop through their skin so keeping the skin clean is important for a starfish.
2007-07-05 16:11:59 · answer #2 · answered by diburning 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I constantly tip the lot right into a internet held over the sink, drain away the water that has each and every of the worms' waste dissolved, then supply the worms a reliable rinse below the faucet. Then tip the wiped clean worms right into a tank.
2016-11-08 07:05:44 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
now remeber i am no expert on starfish here, but i had a starfish get a leg caught in a filter and i was avised to cut the leg off, which i did, but i had a brittle star. i hear they regenerate better than "knoby" stars like the red general. the leg is shrunken but does regrow. again no expert, i would look on wetwebmedia.com and reef-central.com alot more knowledgeable people ther on that sort of thing.
2007-07-05 21:34:57 · answer #4 · answered by michael_j_p_42503 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋