"Orange Sea Star" Echinaster sp. Info

[Brian1f1]

Hello!

I have some LA credit that's use it or lose it. I tried to search but little luck. Anyone familiar with the pictured starfish with only a genus name? Reef safe? Hardy (probs not, but wondering if anyone has had success!).

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Assuming it's actually an Echinaster species (which is difficult for me to say from their pic), I'd probably say Reef-Safe With Caution. It's not likely to eat corals, but some species from the genus may occasionally eat some inverts in the tank (see the quotes below).

If the star is actually a different genus, it may be safer, but I can't say for sure without a proper ID on it.

With regards to the hardiness, as a general rule of thumb, if the starfish isn't a straight-up predator species or an Aquilonastra starfish (known in the hobby as Asterina starfish), then it's probably not hardy, and it'll probably be dead within ~13 months.

For clarification here, Echinaster (Othilia) spinulosus (and closely related species like Echinaster (Othilia) echinophorus) in the wild are thought to primarily feeds on sponges, tunicates, biofilms, detritus, and dissolved organic matter (DOM). They can also filter nutrients directly from seawater through their skin. Anyway, they are known as both opportunistic predators and scavengers. In captivity, many sea stars - including Echinaster (Othilia) spinulosus - are known to eat unnatural diets, consuming things like shellfish (including shrimp), bivalves (clams, mussels, oysters, etc.), small starfish (like Aquilonastra spp. - known in the hobby as Asterina stars, though those are species of a different genus in the Asterinidae family), and even sand dollars.

Echinaster (Othilia) spinulosus is known to be a long-lasting species for aquariums, which indicates to me that there is a good chance they're dietary needs are more readily met by things like bivalves, unlike Linckia spp. and similar, which tend to die off within a year even when regularly offered things like clams to eat.

With regards to Echinaster sentus specifically, from what I’ve been able to find, they eat bivalves (clams, mussels, scallops, etc.), sponges (they accept some species that have chemical defenses against fish, but it seems they prefer those with little to no chemical defenses period), possibly some anemones, and possibly other sessile (immobile) inverts too (so it may at some point go for corals, or it might not - there's not much information available on the diet of this species). You could probably supplement feed it using things like clams and sponges (carolina.com carries some relatively cheap sponge packages), but there's no guarantee it will survive long term. If you decide to try it, let us know how it works out after about 18 months - again, I'd be genuinely curious.

 

[fredward]

I just picked one up from my local. Fragbox corals has said he has kept these for long periods over the years so that was good enough for me to try one

 

[Brian1f1]

I just picked one up from my local. Fragbox corals has said he has kept these for long periods over the years so that was good enough for me to try one

same, similar looking one?

 

[fredward]

 

[lanabanana]

Hows caring for this starfish so far? Do you spot feed him? I also purchased one of these guys from fragbox.ca!

 

[Lennie]

Do you guys have any updates?

I talked to one of the LFS owner/breeder in my city who always carries these guys. He has experience of 23 years, is a reputable breeder of marine fish and seahorses of 17 species in total and just like fragbox corals mentions, he said these are the best stars for an aquarium environment and as long as you feed them, they do great. He carries the orange version of this Echinaster sp.

He said they don't really need a long term established tank, but they surely need the target feeding.

would love to hear from your personal experience and how it goes