best star fish for a 29 gallon reef tank

[n_sarno]

What is the best star fish for a 29 gallon reef tank. I'd like something colorful and obviously reef safe.
I tried a blue linkia and iddnt know much about them and it unfortunatly passed within about a week :-( so I figured i'd learn a little more before sticking somethhing new in my tank
Thanks

 

[littlebuck]

how long have you had ur tank set up?

 

[anaconda22]

I had an orange linkia. Much hardier and easierto keep. The only thing is, living in south florida, one of the hurricanes that hit knocked our power out for about two weeks and my orange likia didn't make it

But I'm lookin to get another one once I get my tank back in shape. By the way my tank is a 55gal. and the linkia was about 5".

 

[hagfish]

Brittle or serpent stars are your only good bet IMO. Pretty much all sea stars need lots of LR to feed off of and most won't take direct feedings. So you really need a much bigger tank to keep a sea star long term.

 

[appaloosa1]

I have a serpent star in my 24g nano. I'm sure the tank is a little small for him, but I got him super cheap from a guy breaking his tank down. I feed him a shrimp1-2 times a week and he lets me know when he is hungry.

 

[alyssia]

I agree with hagfish, linckias need tons of LR to survive. Also, you have to drip acclimate stars VERY slowly.

 

[milomlo]

What is best for a reef tank a serpent star or a brittle star? I have heard different things. I also have a 29 gallon and would love to have a star. OF COURSE I want it to be reef safe.

 

[gilligan50]

I have a Bright Red and Creme Serpent and a Dark Colored Serpent in my 29 gal. They love it, and are very healthy. The Red one has been in there for a year and a half and the other for about 6 months. They are great foragers, are always around, and always come out when you feed the tank. They are great to watch eat whenever I feed mysis in teh tank they both come flying out and grabbing the mysis with their arms. So you should have no problem with a Serpent as long as your paremeters are ok and your tank is settled.

 

[wax32]

Originally Posted by milomlo
What is best for a reef tank a serpent star or a brittle star?
They are basically the same. Stay away from anything listed as a Green Serpent star. These tend to get too big and can be predatory.

 

[ophiura]

Brittle and serpenstars, which are the same, are fine for this size tank.
IMO, there is NO reef safe star such as a Linckia that is suitable for this tank size.
Not the blue, not the orange...none. Most of these stars, even in significantly larger systems, will die of starvation within a year. A 29g is in general not suitable for one of these stars.
Ditto for the smaller Fromia star which is also not suitable.
That is not to say they will ALL die in this tank size, but MOST will die (quite frequently someone will say "I've kept one!" - but this is rare).
Brittle and serpenstars are fine, IMO, but they should be fed. The green is a known predator in the wild and probably any might have this potential in captivity as well. I have never had issues and I have about 11 brittlestars. The serpentstar sold here - that is black and white - is small and nice. The larger red one, IME, can be more aggressive, and definitely is less hardy than other species.
What are your specific water parameters and tank age? These are really critical to know before you purchase any type of star.

 

[n_sarno]

The parameters are
Sg 1.024
Temp 81
PH 8.3
Nitrate/trite 0
Calcium 400
am I missing anything important?

 

[milomlo]

Originally Posted by N_Sarno
The parameters are
Sg 1.024
Temp 81
PH 8.3
Nitrate/trite 0
Calcium 400
am I missing anything important?
ammonia??
Also my tank has been up since October.
My parameters are:
Sg 1.026
Ph 8.0
trite 0
trate 10
ammonia .25 (doing water change today....I had a large snail die and be eaten

)
Calcium 560
dKH 12.2
mag 1500
I can post my new readings after I do the water change

 

[n_sarno]

I dont really have a good amonia tester.. just those dip stick things and I just did it and it is at the lowest level so I guess little or no amonia in there

 

[ophiura]

You want to have very accurate readings...IMO, a specific gravity of 1.024 is a bit on the low end. 1.025-1.026 is more desirable.
Brittle and serpentstars are probably suitable, tho avoid the green. All need proper acclimations though so be sure to research that. The very large red brittlestar shown here requires really good acclimations.