I'd like to purchase a red/orange linckia starfish for either my 40g or 75g reefs. I've been in this hobby for some time, but have never tried to maintain a starfish - I've heard they can be difficult to acclimate, and tend not to last very long. I know Linckia sp have a reputation as algae eaters, but it appears they're omnivorous and I'm concerned about properly feeding one. Can anybody give me any advice on maintaining them successfully, and help me decide yay or nay?
linckia starfish
- Thread starter rh
- Start date
I had a Linkia for a short period of time(blue one) it died for whatever reason...Ive learned one thing with starfish...it can be hit or miss...My understanding of Linkia's is that they are touchy critters respective to others such as brittles...would i ever get a Linkia again..of course, i personally dont believe its death was soley on my accord, it couldve been unhealthy to begin with...It looked good in the tank when i bought it but that doesnt mean it was healthy...but the omnivoire ?? i wouldnt be too concerned with corals being eating by a Linkia..The word carnivorous can just mean an animal will eat small crusteaceans like copepods not necessarily eat your corals and fish..but if this will be your first starfish, go with something along the lines of a serpent or brittle. They are a little more hardy than the linkia and this will give your tank time to mature more...
We've had our Red General for almost 2 years now in the seahorse tank. I'll feed him a piece of dried green seaweed about every 2 weeks and a few pieces of mysis or scallop when he begs at the top of the tank. There was a period shortly after we got him that I thought we'd lose him but we fed him about every other day for about a month or two and he came back around. Been fine ever since. He just cruises all around the tank eating left over food and algae. Very cool!
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I had a blue linkia that died and took my sandsifting star with it (the sandsifter had been in the tank for 6 months and died within a week of adding the linkia, which died 3-5 days after going in). I have read that linkias can carry a bacteria that will eat them up if they are not in tip top shape and fight it off. Udually poor acclimation harms them and lets the bacteria disolve them within a few days of the shock.
Linkias should hide from light and always remain attached to a surface, never exposing their underside. If they are not seeking shelter from light at the shop, or they are partially detached from glass or decor, then they are probably dying.
Acclimation should be at least one hour per point of SG difference....SG is the facter they are most sensitive to. A total of a four hour acclimation should be good and I would do at least that even if SG matches that of the water it came in.
Despite selecting very healthy looking specimins and acclimating VERY slowly into a tank with perfect perameters, both blue linkias I bought disintegrated within a week of adding them.
But one day I notices what I later identified as a grey linkia at my LFS. It looks just like a blue linkia, but is more of a blue-grey-green color. It hitched in on a coral shipment and was about the size of the palm of my hand. My LFS let me have it for free, since he thought it was a worthless hitching star. It is doing great eating algae and detritus off the rocks and comes out to forage when the actinics are lighting the tank late at night. Great addition if you can get it to survive the first couple of weeks in your tank.
Linkias should hide from light and always remain attached to a surface, never exposing their underside. If they are not seeking shelter from light at the shop, or they are partially detached from glass or decor, then they are probably dying.
Acclimation should be at least one hour per point of SG difference....SG is the facter they are most sensitive to. A total of a four hour acclimation should be good and I would do at least that even if SG matches that of the water it came in.
Despite selecting very healthy looking specimins and acclimating VERY slowly into a tank with perfect perameters, both blue linkias I bought disintegrated within a week of adding them.
But one day I notices what I later identified as a grey linkia at my LFS. It looks just like a blue linkia, but is more of a blue-grey-green color. It hitched in on a coral shipment and was about the size of the palm of my hand. My LFS let me have it for free, since he thought it was a worthless hitching star. It is doing great eating algae and detritus off the rocks and comes out to forage when the actinics are lighting the tank late at night. Great addition if you can get it to survive the first couple of weeks in your tank.
That Red General is pretty, is that in the Linkia family though? and like i said its hit or miss with the Linkia...i had mine for about two weeks then it died from SIDS or something, cuz it never woke up again....Live aquaria considers the Linkia an "expert" only critter if thats any help
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