Blue Linkia -- why are they so hard to keep?

[xnikki118x]

Heyy everyone.
The pet store I work for just got a shipment of blue linkia stars in--yes!! Everywhere I look for information about them, I see that they're hard to keep, but I can't find out why.
Anyone have any experience with any of these guys? Why are they hard to keep? Are they hard to feed, or are they really finicky about water chemistry, what?
I don't want to just buy the star and have it die a horrible death for some reason in my tank, lol. :help: I'd appreciate anything you'd have to offer. Thanks guys!
(Just in case anyone asks...SG = 1.021, ammonia = 0, nitrite = 0, nitrate = 0, pH = 8.3, temp = 79F, alkalinity and calcium are good as well.)

 

[farslayer]

Linkias, from what I've read on this board, require excellent water and a lot of live rock on which to feed. I think that it has been recommended that they be kept in nothing under a 125G tank with tons of rock. They also require higher SG than you have, something around 1.025 or 1.026 from what I've read here. I plan on getting one when I get my new 125G tank set up. I'll let my tank be successful for a year before I attempt to keep one, I plan on having about 200-250lbs of live rock as well.

 

[xnikki118x]

I had a red linkia for about a year before it got too big for my tank. Whenever one of my guys outgrows my tank, he goes to my favorite fish dealer to be sold to someone else (like when my three-striped damsel got 5 inches long, or when my red-legged hermit crab got big enough to catch and eat my sccoter blenny...) and I go home with something smaller.
So I'm not worried about the size, because they're only like 2 inches now, if even that. I've never had the bad luck of losing any of my corals or anything because of poor water quality, so I might just try it out.
It's not like incompatible with anything else? I have a long-spined black sea urchin, a white bubble tip anemone, a pink-tipped haitian anemone, a yellow tang, an oscillaris, a blue velvet damsel, a coral beauty angel, a scooter blenny, and some misc leathers, mushrooms, small crabs and turbo snails. Sound like anything the starfish wouldn't get along with?
PS. Anyone know if blue linkias eat corals? My red linkia never did, but I had a chocolate ship starfish for a (short) time that ate all of my mushrooms. Don't want a repeat of that, lol.

 

[22caddy]

You have two anemones in a 29. That is asking for trouble. You know there is no such thing as a white anemone correct. If it is white it is unhealthy and bleached. What is your lighting?

 

[ophiura]

Chocolate chip stars are not reef safe.
I would be very interested, if you have one, in a picture of your "red Linckia." It is probably not a true Linckia but I would love to know what it is (Linckia is a catch all name for reef safe star). Perhaps a Fromia...if so, I would be very interested in seeing a picture and knowing your story. How much LR do you have....got a pic of the tank? Little is known about long term success with some of these stars.
Blue Linckia are not suitable for your tank size. They can not be spot fed and require lots of LR to graze on. They do not eat algae or detritus. Also, IMO, your specific gravity is on the low side, and they are very prone to disintegration from acclimation shock to lower salinities.
Judging by the size, are you sure that these are blue Linckia and not a blue form of Linckia multiflora, which would have some mottling on the arm (not plain blue?). IMO, Linckia multiflora is the only reef safe star suitable for that tank size, assuming it is a healthy reef.

 

[xnikki118x]

Sorry, no digital camera here as of yet. My red linckia looked like the orange linckia you can purchase on this site. I purchased it when the legs were about 1.5 inches long each, and traded it in when its legs grew to about 2.5 inches.
I've got about 50 pounds of live rock, give or take. Enough to decently fill my tank while leaving room for my fish to swim. I didn't buy it all at once, so I'm not sure of its exact weight, but I think 50lbs is a good approximation.
I didn't end up getting the blue linckia (which is what our supplier said they are), a friend of mine did. He's got an amazingly beautiful 55 reef and the star is doing quite well.
The bubbley anemone has been white ever since I got it. A friend of mine gave it to me and I've never been completely sure what it's called, but it's got short, stubby, white tentacles and a pinkish orange foot. It seems to enjoy shrimp pellets more than any other food, it eats regularly and seems quite healthy. Maybe it's albino or something, lol, I dunno. But if it is unhealthy, it's doing a good job of faking its wellness. =)

 

[mpls man]

I have a blue linka in my 75 gal, as far as acclamating, i did this for about 4-5 hours, water temp is 79-81*, sal is 1.023-1.025, i have at least 200 lbs of rock, lighting is 542 watts, with MH"S, water cond has always been very good. i've had it for about 1 year, i dont feed it at all, he comes out to roam all the time, i've been very happy with this star.

 

[iamcrazy]

how did u manage to get 200lbs of rock into a 75g tank? just curious..:thinking:

 

[mpls man]

a alot of big pieces add up fast, it's full!

 

[ophiura]

The year point is critical...if they make it past I would say 12-14 months, they are usually good to go (but I would not add another similar star - let them do it via an arm drop). This is critical...they take about 9-12 months to starve after addition. That amount of LR sounds about right for a blue Linckia, IMO - loads of it!!