Best Star Fish for Cleanup?

[gtiguy]

Anyone know whats the best starfish for my 40g fish only?

I have heard choc chip or sand sifter, .....something not to maintaince high......but will do a decent job in the sand and rocks!

 

[sammiefish]

choc chip stars are not "reef safe"
BUT thats moot to your fish only setup...
(sorry, I missed that the first time... )

 

[joker_ca]

for your "fish only" a choc chip star would be fine, also a red general star is another good choice but IMO stay away from the sand shifting star

 

[sprieto]

Is the Red Star General a scavanger?
How about a Serpent Star, I read there good.

 

[crazyaqua]

I have 2 serpent stars and they clean up well.

 

[monalisa]

Our 2 brittle stars are out and very busy after lights out :sleepy: . I think they do a great job.
Lisa :happyfish

 

[sprieto]

Would a Brittle Star and a Serpant Star get along?

 

[monalisa]

That I don't know, but I'm sure someone here will know. Sorry...
Lisa :happyfish

 

[ophiura]

Yes, a brittlestar and a serpentstar are basically the same things. They will get along fine. Avoid the green, a known predator. Also avoid the large and expensive bright red serpentstar Ophioderma squamosissimum in any but mature tanks - and they definitely need a long acclimation. However I do not recommend leaving brittlestars, or general/chocolate chip stars just to scavenge. I am not a fan of any of these stars (or stars of any sort) being added as "clean up crew."
Avoid a sand sifter star, which is not eating detritus (is eating the critters that do) and most will starve to death within the year.
Remember, these stars have specific requirements for acclimation and a need for PRISTINE water quality. This generally means a tank over 6 months old...one that is not fluctuating much. Also specific gravity should be above 1.024 minimum.
And to add, a Linckia or Fromia star is not AT ALL SUITABLE for "clean up" and need very large very mature tanks with lots of LR!!!!!!! That can not be emphasized enough.

 

[ophiura]

I will also throw in to consider nassarius. cerith and conchs for the sand.

 

[speg]

Also avoid the large and expensive bright red serpentstar Ophioderma squamosissimum in any but mature tanks - and they definitely need a long acclimation.

When I first started my saltwater tank I had no idea the 'right way' of doing things at all. I just threw everything in the tank. I set up my tank.. put salt in there.. put a damsel in there.. and threw in like 25 lbs of rock.. When I purchased my live rock I had no idea the diverse life that would be on it.. After a week I started noticing these strange 'fingers' sticking out of my rocks.. later I found these to be serpent stars. I have about 10 of the bright red ones.. I tossed several green ones that hitchhiked their way into the tank.. but what im trying to say is... I acclimated these stars for a good... 10 seconds (the time it took to open the bag of rocks and toss them in!). Was it just dumb luck that they all survived since they take a long acclimation? I figured these serpent stars to be unbelievably hardy.. am I completely mistaken? (probably!).

 

[monalisa]

Originally Posted by ophiura
YHowever I do not recommend leaving brittlestars, or general/chocolate chip stars just to scavenge. I am not a fan of any of these stars (or stars of any sort) being added as "clean up crew."

Ophiura, really? My brittlestars came with my clean up crew from this site, and so far they've been great. Is there something that I need to watch for? What is the concern?
Lisa :happyfish

 

[ophiura]

I would be highly surprised if you had these particular stars as hitch hikers. These are very large stars, and they are Caribbean. They cost somewhere between 20-50 bucks each in a store. The green are indo pacific and are generally a minimum of 8 - 10" across with a 1" disk. Very large...hide under rocks but not generally in them.
Keep in mind there are a couple of thousand different species of brittlestars, some more delicate than others, many of which hide in holes in rocks and are common hitch hikers...but perhaps only a dozen commonly collected and sold in the trade. Unless your rock was stored with these stars, I would be surprised by the coincidence of you getting them as hitchhikers. So I would love a picture if you have some, but I don't think we are talking about the same critters. If we are, then you are very lucky. Most of the large red species that I see in an LFS are dying of acclimation shock. The greens, however, are pretty hardy.

 

[ophiura]

Originally Posted by MonaLisa
Ophiura, really? My brittlestars came with my clean up crew from this site, and so far they've been great. Is there something that I need to watch for? What is the concern?
Lisa :happyfish

The concern is that we are "heavy" on cleaners and may not feed much that can be eaten...so in short, they may not get enough food. They will scavenge for sure, but I do not recommend that this be their only source of nutrition. They should be spot fed, IMO, at least once a week if possible, or should be clearly seen eating food (not just active, but actually handling food).

 

[monalisa]

Originally Posted by ophiura
The concern is that we are "heavy" on cleaners and may not feed much that can be eaten...so in short, they may not get enough food. They will scavenge for sure, but I do not recommend that this be their only source of nutrition. They should be spot fed, IMO, at least once a week if possible, or should be clearly seen eating food (not just active, but actually handling food).
OK, done. What are things that they would like to eat? Like I said mine are out and about all the time, but if I can supplement what they eat, I'm all over that. Suggestions?
Thank you!!
Lisa :happyfish

 

[speg]

You're probably right then. The rocks I had come from off the coast of FL about 20 miles or so out. They arent as big as a lot of other brittle/serpents i've seen. I'll find out if my LFS gets in the ones you're talking about though!