Basket Starfish - looks like a green fern
- Thread starter ijeh99
- Start date
ilove2ride
Member
Sorry, but you should not have bought this starfish, they are extremely hard to keep.
Here's a link with some info, click on "brittlestars" at the top of the page-
http://saltaquarium.about.com/gi/dyn...lestarfaqs.htm
Good luck!
Here's a link with some info, click on "brittlestars" at the top of the page-
http://saltaquarium.about.com/gi/dyn...lestarfaqs.htm
Good luck!
stacyt
Active Member
From what I've been told they are extremely difficult to keep. If I remeber correctly they are a filter feeder, and require a very established system. A freind of mine has kept his alive for over a year, but his system is loaded with mysis shrimp, copepods, and amphiods, and that may be whats kept it alive.
ijeh99
Member
I have had this tank for over a year. I do not have mysis shrimp (even though I have no problems raising them) and copehods (spelling?) swimming around. Should I really consider returning it. It is difficult to really know if this feathered friend would eat my 2 x 2" friends and my 2 camelback shrimp. I don't want to baby this star fish so if I must I will return it. Any thoughts?!
sammystingray
Active Member
To the best of my limited knowledge, feather stars feed on invert larvae, and unless you have continous spawning going on in your tank...they are just about impossible to keep. I am inclined to believe this due to consistent information I have read.
sammystingray
Active Member
BTW I am saying there is NOTHING you can feed it, so there isn't any point in trying to baby it. I had one once, and I believed he was eating because he would open up during the day when food was given.....this was not the case. The food was not right.
sammystingray
Active Member
Did you get to witness it swimming? Very cool to see.
dreeves
Active Member
If you are talking about a Basket Star...they are not the difficult. You have to spot feed them, micro-vert food as they are filter feeders. I had one as a hitchhiker on a purple gorgonia. He was doing great till I murdered him. He was on top of a foam filter cover for a power head...when I changed the water I didn;t see him until he was exposed to the air for about 20 minutes...
Anyways...they love the gorgonias (purple) and will generally stay attached to it. Mine strayed occassional (a fatal mistake on his part) to the glass and elswhere (foam), but found his way back to the gorgonia.
Anyways...they love the gorgonias (purple) and will generally stay attached to it. Mine strayed occassional (a fatal mistake on his part) to the glass and elswhere (foam), but found his way back to the gorgonia.
ijeh99
Member
When I bought the starfish they said it was a 'basket starfish' but i did some research and finally came to the conclusion it is a 'feather starfish'. It swims so beautifully when it was in the bag coming home. It has found a home on a rock and it is totally awesome to look at. I do not want to own something that I will eventually kill so I will and hopefully the fish store will take it back. I don't mind having a store credit as it is easy to spend money on the aquarium.
sammystingray
Active Member
That's VERY responsible of you....best of luck.
ijeh99
Member
The LFS thinks that I am able to keep it - they have faith in me as they know I have a conscience of killing a living animal. I am determined to return it back and the LFS told me to keep it for a week and see if I will change my mind. At least I am able to enjoy the beauty of it before it goes back. Thank you to all for all your input into this matter.
ophiura
Active Member
I am only aware of one hobbyists who has managed to keep a feather star very long, over a year. This is so rare, that the world expert in these animals (crinoids) is interested in knowing how it was done. It appears to require a very large system, with many inverts, particularly urchins, continuously spawning. They are very difficult to feed in that they require very specific size food; mysis, etc is way to big for them.
Please ask your LFS to take it back, and not order them in the future. This has nothing to do with your abilities...they simply are virtually impossible to keep. Please, please, ask them not to carry them any longer. They take months to starve to death, in most cases.
Basket stars, and sterling is the expert here in the 'true' basket stars, are more likely to survive, but require intensive hands on care. They will become absolutely huge, over time, and I do not recommend they be kept.
Certain smaller hitch hiker 'basket stars' are easier to deal with, however, it is not likely that microvert would be enough alone. Odds are they were eating other stuff in the water too. Generally, I do not recommend them.
Please ask your LFS to take it back, and not order them in the future. This has nothing to do with your abilities...they simply are virtually impossible to keep. Please, please, ask them not to carry them any longer. They take months to starve to death, in most cases.
Basket stars, and sterling is the expert here in the 'true' basket stars, are more likely to survive, but require intensive hands on care. They will become absolutely huge, over time, and I do not recommend they be kept.
Certain smaller hitch hiker 'basket stars' are easier to deal with, however, it is not likely that microvert would be enough alone. Odds are they were eating other stuff in the water too. Generally, I do not recommend them.
wamp
Active Member
If they will not take it back, which it sounds like they will not, Try your hardest to maintain it. My LFS will not take back anyhting once paid for. Thats one reason I never go there.. (There is a long list of reasons)
Find out as much info as you can and try to meet it's requirments. I know, it sounds immposible, but, if it is your only option, you have to try.
wamp
Find out as much info as you can and try to meet it's requirments. I know, it sounds immposible, but, if it is your only option, you have to try.
wamp
ophiura
Active Member
I absolutely agree, if it is the only option, give it a go. I can come up with a few threads, if necessary. Write me at ophiuroid@att.net
You can also search here for it, as I think this has come up before. Look for feather star or crinoid.
And here is the world's authority on the beasts:
Chuck Messing's Comatulid Crinoid Page (not as entertaining as my ophiuroid site, but darn close
You can also search here for it, as I think this has come up before. Look for feather star or crinoid.
And here is the world's authority on the beasts:
Chuck Messing's Comatulid Crinoid Page (not as entertaining as my ophiuroid site, but darn close
