Arm-dropping serpent star

[starfish]

I have a tiger-banded serpent star in a well-established, 30-gallon tank that has dropped 4 arms in the last two weeks. The severed limbs don't smell dead and look healthy, apart from being detached from the body! I have performed every water quality test possible and all water parameters are within proper ranges and the temperature is a constant 78 degrees. I have placed food near his usual retreat, which he handles, so he isn't lacking food. There are 4 fish, a sand sifting star, two clams and many miscellaneous corals, hermits and snails- all doing extremely well. Is there any other reason the serpent could be losing arms?
Thanks for your help... I'd hate to give up on him, because he still gets around pretty well with his remaining arms!

[tendar]

There could be a crab or something in your tank that is tring to eat it. Dropping thier arms is a way they use to get away from predators trying to eat them.
The arms loose in the tank may grow up to full stars in time. He will grow back the other arms also if left along to do so.
Check your tank at night after the lights go out with a red flash light you find something in there doing the damage. It may take serveral days of looking in there periodically to find a culpret if there is one.

[starfish]

Thanks, Gregg! I monitor the tank regularly after lights-out, due to my unusual sleep habits. I haven't noticed any unusual critters and the only crabs in the tank are reef hermits. The serpent star seems to be getting along okay mostly armless, i.e. he still climbs the rocks and roams at night, so I'll just wait and hope he recovers. BTW, I have noticed dozens and dozens of tiny serpents in my tank. Since there have been no additions to the tank in the last 6 months, is it possible the original serpent star reproduced all by its lonesome self? All the babies look like tiger-banded serpents, too!

[tendar]

They are more than likely mini stars.
They usally come in on rock or corals and can multiply from there.