What does care for linkia starfish look like?

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I know a few years back there was a major lack of solid information on how to keep linkia starfish. IIRCC there was even some ambiguity about what they eat. Where are we on linkia care today? Have there been advances? What do we know about keeping them at this point? Can it be done successfully?

Photo by @Paul87

 

[Miller535]

I have wanted one for almost 10 years that I have been in the hobby. But was always scared away. Even sites that sell them generally talked about how most died in most aquariums. Yet as you pointed out, gave no real information about them.


According to blue Zoo:

Diet

If introduced to a large well established aquarium, very little needs to be done to supplement Linckias. Occasional offerings of clam, mussel or scallop may be appreciated but rarely accepted. The bacterial film that comprises the mainstay of the Linckias diet usually appears in abundance in well established and seasoned aquariums. Supplemental feedings of meaty foods is usually not enough to sustain them.

If this is true, it would definitely explain why they are generally reported to strave.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

If this is true, it would definitely explain why they are generally reported to strave.

Agreed. So they feed on bacterial blooms?

 

[Miller535]

Agreed. So they feed on bacterial blooms?

Bacterial film. But I'm not sure what that is. And sponges (according to blue zoo)

Liveaquaria says small free floating microbes. I'm not really sure what that is either. Lol

 

[RMS18]

I have one, it's been in my tank for 3 months now. I'm not sure what it eats to be honest. It just cruses around the tank glass, rock and sand. When I feed it doesn't act any different, it doesn't go after algea sheets. When it is on the rock and sand at times the center is deflated and very close to the surface, I believe that is due to it eating something. They extend their stomachs out of their body when they east. I do have green algea film on my glass. It seems happy? Long tenticle extension on his arms, great color and it's puffy. Unfortunately it has stuck two of it's arms into power heads. One leg lost about 1/4 of a leg 3 weeks after having it. And the other day it just lost 3/4 of another leg. Both wounds headed up fine, but I'm not sure if they grow back. The crazy thing is I have guards on my power heads, meaning it had to have inserted it's leg into the output side of the power heads while they are on full blast (octo plus 2). Then the prop did the rest. I feel so bad, I'm worried this will continue.

 

[andrewey]

This is anecdotal, but from what I've seen, probably 95% of linkias I've seen hobbyists purchase end up starving within the first 6-12 months. While there are likely exceptions to successfully keeping them, the only tanks I've seen where Linkias tend well were tanks that were at least 2-3 years old with mature live rock.

 

[Miller535]

I really like fish of hex and he posted this when he bought his

 

[Miller535]

And his update on it a few years later

 

[RMS18]

And his update on it a few years later

It was because of this video and a chat I had with Travis that I decided to pull the trigger.

 

[Miller535]

It was because of this video and a chat I had with Travis that I decided to pull the trigger.

Thats cool. I really like his channel.

 

[Mattdavid121]

I have had one for about 1 1/2 years. I actually spot feed it this stuff mixed with tank water. It hasn’t had issues this far. Good luck

 

[mavbarnby]

Star still going strong?

 

[kingranch2003]

How are the linckia?

 

[Lingman]

My blue linkia ate by tile star!

 

[KrisReef]

I was thinking that they would be good to have with a Harlequin shrimp. If it was thriving in the tank then the Harlequin would always have something to eat.

I have tried to avoid keeping reef inhabitants that require mysterious diets that are not well understood. It’s frustrating to watch creatures withering away and not knowing how to properly provide for them.

I’m ok with folks who have successfully kept “difficult” species I don’t feel that lucky for many reef species that have a poor track record.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

I’ve done OK with them if I get them small and go into large (150g+) mature reef tanks. By ‘OK’, I mean 2 to at most 3 years. The bigger specimens don’t seem to last long.

I’ve always used live rock (Fiji in the old days, Tampa Bay or Gulf maricultured these days), so I’m not sure if…but am willing to bet…that it doesn’t hurt.