Any SEA STARgazers out there?

[707Nick]

While it is a general rule of thumb that most stars with a "spikey" appearance aren't reef safe, it really comes down to the species (there are approximately 2,000 species). Biscuit stars like you see in the picture above are reef safe, however, and actually do feed on algae. There aren't many colorful stars that are easy to maintain for long periods of time due to their food requirements. In their natural environment they feed on biofilm. While every tank does have biofilm, it varies greatly in consistency and it's currently unknown what it is the stars are actually consuming in the biofilm for nutrition so the concern isn't usually finding a reef safe star but finding one that can be maintained without starving within several months. If you are willing to put in the work to feed them regularly though it's my belief from experience that they can be maintained for much longer even in smaller tanks. There are people who have successfully kept stars such as Linckias and Fromias for years in very large tanks without supplemental feedings and although I don't want to attribute their success to only luck, many people have also tried and failed to successfully maintain them in large tanks (likely due to starvation). If you're happy with brittle or serpent stars I'd recommend them since their feeding requirements are much easier to meet.
I don't have a primary source i can recommend due to my location but would recommend that you ask how long the store has had the star you want and aim to buy one that recently arrived since it will likely be healthier.
Lastly, I would HIGHLY recommend researching scientific information regarding the particular species you want before buying since a lot of shops will claim many species simply eat detritus and algae which isn't usually the case.

Thank you very much I truly enjoyed reading your response. I have kept a red serpent for about 5 years. He was a great scavenger as I do often broadcast feed I would see it eat krill.

I ended up giving it to our local LFS when I had to move, very cool to watch. Like most pets they need individual attention and if we’re not willing to put in the work we should probably leave them where they belong.

 

[707Nick]

I’d like to know as well. I have soooo many in my tank. When I do my w/c I pick about 20-30 every time.

I think you may be referring to astrea stars. I have added a harlequin shrimp to eradicate them. The shrimp only eats stars. So when they are all gone you shrimp will starve unless you feed him, her.
Best of luck

 

[707Nick]

I think you may be referring to astrea stars. I have added a harlequin shrimp to eradicate them. The shrimp only eats stars. So when they are all gone you shrimp will starve unless you feed him, her.
Best of luck

 

[707Nick]

Here’s a photo of mine.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Thank you very much I truly enjoyed reading your response. I have kept a red serpent for about 5 years. He was a great scavenger as I do often broadcast feed I would see it eat krill.

I ended up giving it to our local LFS when I had to move, very cool to watch. Like most pets they need individual attention and if we’re not willing to put in the work we should probably leave them where they belong.

Yeah, I agree. At this point there's honestly hasn't been very much research done on stars even in their natural habitat, let alone how to successfully maintain the majority of species in captivity. In complete honesty when I bought my first Fromia well over a year ago I didn't know enough about them to be buying one and had no idea very few make it past several months even in large tanks... after finding that out I was already in love with it so I decided to do as much research as I could to extend his life. I really became fascinated with starfish the more I researched them which even prompted me to conduct my own observational study. Very happy to say he's still in my tank today! I'm hoping to actually find some way to do actual serious research with echinoderms after I graduate soon.

 

[mexi757]

They do sometimes eat them but they'll run out eventually...

Do you happen to know which kind?

 

[mexi757]

I think you may be referring to astrea stars. I have added a harlequin shrimp to eradicate them. The shrimp only eats stars. So when they are all gone you shrimp will starve unless you feed him, her.
Best of luck yea I do know about them. I have a red serpent star. So definitely can’t have one of them.

I think you may be referring to astrea stars. I have added a harlequin shrimp to eradicate them. The shrimp only eats stars. So when they are all gone you shrimp will starve unless you feed him, her.
Best of luck

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Do you happen to know which kind?

You mean which kind of stars are the prey or which are the predators?

 

[mexi757]

You mean which kind of stars are the prey or which are the predators?

Sorry work cell services is junk. Asking which linckias to eat the astera star fish.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Sorry work cell services is junk. Asking which linckias to eat the astera star fish.

Linckia laevigata (blue Linckias)...but what's your plan for after they eat all of them?

 

[mexi757]

Okay thanks. I’ll donate to the local aquarium here. It’s what I do with any marine animal that outgrows or doesn’t get along with the tank.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Okay thanks. I’ll donate to the local aquarium here. It’s what I do with any marine animal that outgrows or doesn’t get along with the tank.

Ok, that sounds like a well though out plan and your donation will help educate people as well! Just so you're aware though, there are different species of asterinas...I'm unsure if they'll eat all species or not. Btw, this is something I've commonly heard (blue linckias consuming asterina stars) but haven't experienced myself.

 

[Aspect]

I have 4 Linckia in my 500 gallon; Blue, Green, Purple, and Dalmation. Paired with a few snails and hermit crabs they are the majority of clean up crew. Had them all for about 10 months and they are really beautiful creatures.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I have 4 Linckia in my 500 gallon; Blue, Green, Purple, and Dalmation. Paired with a few snails and hermit crabs they are the majority of clean up crew. Had them all for about 10 months and they are really beautiful creatures.

They are absolutely beautiful! It's really a shame we don't really understand exactly what makes some people able to maintain them while others with practically identical tanks and equipment unable to maintain them.

 

[DHill6]

Orange Luzon and a basket star. The basket star came in on a black sea rod. I feed frozen, pellets,powder plankton , and tisbe pods to the tank. They seem to be doing ok, the Luzon is always busy.

 

[Aspect]

They are absolutely beautiful! It's really a shame we don't really understand exactly what makes some people able to maintain them while others with practically identical tanks and equipment unable to maintain them.

My tank is pretty dirty so there's always some algae to be eaten. I think most overdue their clean up crew which leads to them starving. My pH always fluctuates from 8.25 during the day to 8 at night so they're not oversensitive to ph changes either. I'd bet the majority starve in home aquaria.

 

[radiata]

I had a Naroda starfish many years back that ate Asterinas. I've got photos of the event somewhere. I recollect sending then to Ron Shimek. From the ID photos I can see today, it was apparently a Naroda Galatheae.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

My tank is pretty dirty so there's always some algae to be eaten. I think most overdue their clean up crew which leads to them starving. My pH always fluctuates from 8.25 during the day to 8 at night so they're not oversensitive to ph changes either. I'd bet the majority starve in home aquaria.

Absolutely...i believe most starve as well and agree that they probably aren't quite as sensitive to pH changes as many believe...I don't think you're success in their feeding is only due to having algae present though since they feed on biofilm which can very easily shift in composition and it's not known what's actually needed in the biofilm to meet their nutritional requirements.

 

[Keko21]

Of everything in our tank this is my wifes favorite. This picture is from when I started this tank almost a year ago. Still going strong!

 

[radiata]

On the subject of Blue Linckia longevity, there used to be an undocumented tale about one's handling them with their hands causing their demise. It was said that they couldn't recover after coming in contact with human skin oils. You can spot an old timer collecting one in a shop. You tun the bag inside out, put it over your hand, and pick it up star along with the water you're going to pack it in. Twenty-odd years ago there was only one store in NJ where I would buy one and have it survive a few years. Reef Encounter knew what they were doing.