Baby Sea Star

[dreamweaver]

Came home from work today and discovered a baby chocolate chip star fish climbing the side of the tank.... WHAT A LOVELY SURPRISE!!!! .... Only thing is, I don't know much about babies... In fact, I had to go online to even find out HOW my one and only chocolate chip could have reproduced!!! (Yes, I know - I'm ignorant!)..... Still can't quite figure it all out - since my adult chocolate chip still has all of its' limbs!!!???!!! .... The baby seemed to disappear a minute or two after I'd spied it - but my husband and I were able to look at it long enough to see the same exact coloring of my adult.... Went to get the camera and - poof! The baby had disappeared!
Now I'm left wondering --- did some of my fish perhaps devour it as a tasty treat? 1 Yellow Tang; 1 Christmas Wrasse; 1 Pajama Cardinal; 2 Green Chromis; 1 "Various" Blennie (fish store couldn't identify it and sold it under this name); along with a Tiger Snail; 1 Pencil Sea Urchin; and of course the adult Chocolate Chip Star.....
But if not eaten by the other inhabitants - how does one feed the baby? Currently, I feed frozen food... and since seeing the baby, also provided some Phytoplankton... But what exactly do I need to feed - just in case the baby has settled into the live rock or bottom for protection?
Any experience you could provide would be greatly appreciated.....

 

[ophiura]

I am nearly 100% positive you have an Asterina star and not a baby chocolate chip star.
In which case you do nothing for it, it will be fine.

 

[dreamweaver]

I looked up an Asterina star online.... And I can tell you that the pictures viewed in no way resembled what we saw.... My adult chocolate chip is a yellowish tan with dark spots.... And the "baby" had identical coloring.... Perhaps it is something else other than a baby chocolate chip --- but definitely doesn't look like the Asterina star pics I saw.... ???? .... Is there anything that you know of that would so closely resemble an adult chocolate chip?

 

[ophiura]

Coloration is so variable in Asterina that I wouldn't use it as a consideration. They can be highly variable (see first post here):
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=163871
Asterina stars are exceedingly common in nearly any tank with LR. Their arm shape is similar to a chocolate chip star. I would need a picture with yours - I suppose anything is possible but IMO it would not be offspring of your star. Reproduction in a tank is very unlikely for a variety of reasons. It could be a hitch hiker.
But it is more likely to be an Asterina, again, considering coloration is somewhat irrelevant in the identification of them.

 

[dreamweaver]

Just wanted you to know that apparently you were right.... What I thought was the "baby" chocolate chip appeared again the other night... My husband counted 6 "arms" before it once again disappeared..... I suppose the same chocolate chip coloring is just coincidence....
It amazes me that this little fella was in my tank this entire time! My LR was purchased over a year ago (probably closer to two years).... My tank has gone through many changes in that time - with several episodes of fish loss... We probably haven't purchased any live additions for a good six months or more.... Yet this Asterina appears now!!!! WOW!!!!! Simply amazing!!!!!!!

 

[cofishguy]

hi, the same thing happened to me. I assumed I had several baby sand sifters in my tank after noticing the same thing you did one morning! As it turns out I have many Asterina stars in my tank. I, like you, thought they were baby sandsifters because of the very similar coloration, but when I saw pics and counted some with 6 and even 7 arms...I new they were Asterina stars instead. And like you, I also hadnt added anything new to my tank for like 8 months...so the must have been there all that time and just now got big enough to see or more than likely I just have so many now that they are more noticable.
Either way, its fun!