Starfish

[ging]

Are starfish good in a reef tank, 60 gal. I was wanting to get one but would like some advice and if so, what would be a good kind to get ??

ging

 

[scavdog]

A Blue Linckia starfish is one of the only reef-safe stars I know of...they may come in a maroon variety as well. Just don't get a white burrowing sand star. I still have yet to find someone to take mine (they chow on sandbed fauna)

Good luck

[ July 11, 2001: Message edited by: ScavDog ]

 

[EmilyB]

The orange knobby starfish is an incredible reef starfish which I have kept for over a year with everything including clams.

It is also much hardier than the blue linckia.

These have been offered by FFE in the US, I got mine from a MO in Canada, but still no luck on a true latin name.

 

[Anonymous]

I have a chocolate chip star fish and have had no problems that I know of.....

 

[wasabi]

fromia sp, bright red, stays small, moves all over the tank.

 

[Quillen]

CCSF are typically not reef happy.
You might check out this webpage http://www.wetwebmedia.com/seastars.htm
and ophiuroid has a lot of info on her webpage.

I almost forgot to say.. Good luck deciding!
and.. make sure you feed whatever star you get.

[ July 12, 2001: Message edited by: Quillen ]

 

[jbash]

Don't know if this helps with the Orange Knobby id, but MarineDepotLive has a Africian Red-Knob Star id'd as Protoreaster lincki at http://www.marinedepotlive.com/1304034.html
(note I didn't typo the name, it isn't African but Africian on their page).

Jim B

 

[EmilyB]

Thanks, but nope ! Here is what they look like:
http://www.members.home.net/d.hadford/OrangeKnobby.html

 

[ging]

Thanks for all the info

The Orange knobby looks really cool. That may be the right fit

ging

 

[Quillen]

You could send ophiuroid a PM at 4717

to make sure, otherwise I am sure you will make a good decision.

 

[Kelp]

There is also the brittle star, comes in varying shades of green/brown. You wont see these alot durring your lighting hours though.

 

[yznhmr]

emilyb where did you get the orange knobby star?

 

[EmilyB]

I got mine from a MO in Canada. Was just getting one for a small tank, but liked it so much I ordered two more, since traded one to a fellow reefer. The MO said his customers said it was a good reef star, so I tried them. As I say, they are fantastic.

Interestingly enough, his supplier listed them as a red starfish. They are definitely orange, and FFE has the only pic that looks just like them, listed as an orange knobby.

They are detritus eaters, and will clean into the holes in the rock, cruise the surface of the sand, spend some time on the glass, and also eat nori and algae pellets. I love them, and when he gets more, I think I'll try a couple in the refugium to see if they might breed.

 

[yznhmr]

ok emilyb ,MO Where? i want to order one..

 

[EmilyB]

yznhmr: I got mine in Canada, so that doesn't help you, but check this out:

they can't guarantee availability, they may give you a red fromia, but I have heard much good about them as well. Or perhaps they would let you know when they get some in.

gives you a little description on here http://www.ffexpress.com/inverts/reef_relief.htm#orange_knobby

tetra: I've never noticed any problem with that.

 

[scavdog]

Be aware of green brittle stars. They can catch your fish sleeping and eat'em !

 

[EnchantedSea]

I have a blue linckia starfish and it is awesome. The blue is so bright. I know some people say they have trouble adapting them into the tank. I had no problems with mine. Good Luck.

 

[Quillen]

I am not an expert on this topic.
When you take any animal out of its natural habitat and add it to your tank, there is the chance that you are giving it an oppurtunity to do things that it wouldn't do in the wild. If you aren't feeding your starfish, then it may very well go after food for itself. It is in an enclosed area, so it has the choice of starvation or finding food on its own. I am still trying to find a starfish I think would be happy in my tank.

From what I've read, the linckia are good.

 

[tetra]

Do they(starfishes) knock over corals in their path?

 

[GMH320]

I have a small brittle star, about 6" across and doesn't seem to bother anything. I have never seen it come all the way out from beneath the rock crevise that it made its home. I do however feed it a piece of shrimp every so often.