That is my question. Should I decant 1.5 liter starters that I’ve made from Wyeast 5335 or just pitch the whole starter? I always decant my yeast starters but this is my first shot at lacto and I’m concerned about; a) losing too many bugs if if do decant, b) adverse flavor effects on a 5 gallon Berliner Weisse if I pitch the entire starter.
Starter made from Pilsner DME ~1.025 fermented at 90* for 5 days.
Normally I decant starters, but not the lacto ones. It seems like it would be tricky to “crash” for decanting, and besides I’d rather keep it in the 90’s from starter to fermenter. I brewed a Berliner just like this a month ago and it’s coming along fine - no adverse flavors.
So putting in the fridge and pouring out the liquid on top but keeping the yeast on bottom is the normal process… this is what “decanting” is. I’m sorry , I’m a newbie, and I’ve only decanted wine (pretty experienced at that) but i’m sure its different terminology. 
also, i’ve had my lacto buchneri on a starter plate at 100F for 4 days and I just took the tin foil off the top. It doesn’t smell as sour as it did when I poured it in, just more like warm DME. Is this normal? I’m waiting for my ph meter to come in the mail since my strips only go down to 4.6 
I think with a yeast starter most people stir it for ~12-18 hrs then stick it in the fridge for a day or two. That way you can dump off most of the starter “beer”, give it a swirl and pitch it.
With a lacto starter I’m not sure if decanting is better or not, but personally I do not decant. It is my understanding however that O2 slows down that culture so you may want to take it of the stir plate regardless.
I just keep my lacto starters in a mason jar inside a (blue!) cooler with a Ranco probe and heat pad at ~90* for about a week.
Unless the starter smells bad and different than what the beer should smell like, I would pitch the entire starter so you don’t have a long lag with the lacto and because dropping the pH of the beer quickly is particularly beneficial if you are pitching the lacto before the yeast.
If the pH has dropped below 4.6, you should be OK. I don’t get much of a smell from lacto.