STARFISH: How many of you have a starfish in your reef?

Starfish in your reef aquarium?

  • Yes I currently have one

    Votes: 334 41.3%
  • No starfish for me

    Votes: 227 28.1%
  • I have problems keeping them alive

    Votes: 84 10.4%
  • I plan to add one in the future

    Votes: 162 20.0%
  • other..

    Votes: 54 6.7%

  • Total voters
    809

revhtree

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To me the ocean and a reef "setting" just seems incomplete without a starfish. But how many of us are actually housing one in our reef tanks? Let's talk about it today!

1. Do you have a starfish in your reef aquarium and if so what kind?

2. Do you think there is an advantage to having a starfish in your tank?

3. Do you have any problems keeping a starfish happy and thriving in your aquarium?



image via @Paul87
WNBw9ZS.jpg
 

NeonRabbit221B

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Do microbrittles count? I have around 4 in my nano. I tend to stay on the side of "they belong in the ocean" side. LFS sell them like hot cakes to new hobbyists who tend to not know the requirements (myself included). Beautiful creatures though and jealous of anyone that can keep them happy in their larger systems.
 

Sharkbait19

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I wasn’t sure if I could keep one. However, I bought a serpent star from liveaquaria, and so far things are going good. He’s excellent at getting decaying stuff out of the rocks!
FE843CCB-6292-4B42-945F-F9A4CC3772D1.jpeg

On the liveaquaria order I also got a rock with mushroom coral, and it had two hitchhiking brittle stars, one tiny guy and one enormous one. So now I suppose I could say I’m keeping three starfish with success...

I wish I could keep a real starfish. They’ve always been one of my favorite creatures, but I’m afraid that a nano tank is simply not sufficient enough for a starfish’s diet.
 

Reefs and Geeks

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I had a fromia years ago, lasted about a month. They are notoriously hard though, and looking back I likely wasn't experienced enough yet to keep one at the time. I bought one brittle star after that which I saw maybe twice after adding to the tank. It always hid out of sight. Don't think he's in there any more.

I'd love to try a sand sifting star, but am afraid my puffer or trigger would go after it, so haven't tried. I'd put on in my frag tank, but feel like it might not like no rockwork. Really wish I was confident enough to try another. I really love their look.
 

Casket_Case

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I have a real starfish! I collected it myself so I’m unsure of the species but he is a joy to have! It’s been 8 months now and he still looks really good.
BE4BFF21-87CF-4EC3-83E4-3AAAD77D0082.jpeg
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Is it maybe an Echinaster spinulosus (Small Spine Seastar)?
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 64 36.8%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 59 33.9%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 14.4%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 26 14.9%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
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