Can anyone identify this starfish?
- Thread starter tangman99
- Start date
drew_tt
Member
Linckia multiflora. farily common star hitchiker
make sure your water quality is pristine & your tank is sufficiently large for him to graze all day (these ones are mainly algal film grazers afaik...)
as well, these are stars taht commonly 'drop arms' and will reproduce this way in captivity
good luck
Drew
make sure your water quality is pristine & your tank is sufficiently large for him to graze all day (these ones are mainly algal film grazers afaik...)
as well, these are stars taht commonly 'drop arms' and will reproduce this way in captivity
good luck
Drew
ophiura
Active Member
I agree with Drew.
They are fine in a reef, assuming you have a decent size tank with a good amount of LR (they 'graze' on microbial/bacterial films, and perhaps other encrusty stuff you don't pay much attention to). If not, the star will suffer, but it shouldn't bother anything else. I would not add any other reef safe seastars however (not including brittlestars or serpentstars), unless you have a tank over 75g+ with at least that much LR. There is another thread on these guys where they have 3 in a 75, and they have kept them over a year...which I consider a success. The one year mark is key. However, this applies to this species only. Other reef safe stars belong in tanks over 100g, IMO (for best chance of success).
It seems to be hardier than other species of Linckia (hence it survived being a hitch hiker on LR and probably not a very long acclimation). Watch for signs of disintegration within the next month, which means it is dying from acclimation stress. This group of stars in not very tolerant of changes in water parameters, so be careful when doing water changes (which you should be doing anyway, so no biggy). Many die at or within the 1 year mark, from starvation.
Generally my suggestion is to let the star add another- by dropping an arm- rather than introducing another on your own. Best to let them decide if there is enough food to keep them happy and healthy enough to regenerate (and sustain another star).
Arm drops are pretty cool. If you see the one with a shorter arm, and a little stub wandering around the tank, that is what happened. Both will regenerate the missing parts. The smaller will become what is called a 'comet' star, meaning it has one really long leg, and 4 tiny nubs for awhile. Very nice way of getting tank raised seastars
Maybe a way to convince my hubby of, hmmm, the need for a 1000g+ tank in the future?
They are fine in a reef, assuming you have a decent size tank with a good amount of LR (they 'graze' on microbial/bacterial films, and perhaps other encrusty stuff you don't pay much attention to). If not, the star will suffer, but it shouldn't bother anything else. I would not add any other reef safe seastars however (not including brittlestars or serpentstars), unless you have a tank over 75g+ with at least that much LR. There is another thread on these guys where they have 3 in a 75, and they have kept them over a year...which I consider a success. The one year mark is key. However, this applies to this species only. Other reef safe stars belong in tanks over 100g, IMO (for best chance of success).
It seems to be hardier than other species of Linckia (hence it survived being a hitch hiker on LR and probably not a very long acclimation). Watch for signs of disintegration within the next month, which means it is dying from acclimation stress. This group of stars in not very tolerant of changes in water parameters, so be careful when doing water changes (which you should be doing anyway, so no biggy). Many die at or within the 1 year mark, from starvation.
Generally my suggestion is to let the star add another- by dropping an arm- rather than introducing another on your own. Best to let them decide if there is enough food to keep them happy and healthy enough to regenerate (and sustain another star).
Arm drops are pretty cool. If you see the one with a shorter arm, and a little stub wandering around the tank, that is what happened. Both will regenerate the missing parts. The smaller will become what is called a 'comet' star, meaning it has one really long leg, and 4 tiny nubs for awhile. Very nice way of getting tank raised seastars
Maybe a way to convince my hubby of, hmmm, the need for a 1000g+ tank in the future?
ophiura
Active Member
HEY!
I'd take the hitchhiker brittle any day! That's a darn good day!!! Isn't it??? Isn't it??? Am I the only brittlestar freak out here??????? Am I?????
BTW, the Linckia multiflora don't get especially large, I think about 3 inches or so (but don't quote me). Definitely not as large as the blue Linckia which is why they can be kept in (proportionately) smaller tanks.
I'd take the hitchhiker brittle any day! That's a darn good day!!! Isn't it??? Isn't it??? Am I the only brittlestar freak out here??????? Am I?????
BTW, the Linckia multiflora don't get especially large, I think about 3 inches or so (but don't quote me). Definitely not as large as the blue Linckia which is why they can be kept in (proportionately) smaller tanks.
jonthefb
Active Member
no no ophi i was totally satisfied with my lttle find...in fact i was estatic! i just think its cool that he got a linkia as a hitcher, and that its still alive...hopefully. actually ophi, my fav sb critters are the little micro-stars the Amphiphoslis squamata. i think that all around, these little guys have got to be the best sand bed critter as they feed on detritus, and dont have a planktonic larval stage which means they can rapidly populate an established sandbed, but man do they look freaky under a scope!
good luck
jon
good luck
jon
ophiura
Active Member
OK, but I'll be examining further posts for any indication that you are just trying to appease me with this reply
Amphipholis squamatais a lovely little creature, and I am sure you know that it is a self fertilizing hermaphrodite that broods its offspring (sometimes up to 25 at a time); is bioluminescent; and is quite possible one of the most common animals on the planet. It is found from the tropics to polar seas, and from the intertidal to about 2000m depth. Quite spectacular indeed. Incredibly successful.
Amphipholis squamatais a lovely little creature, and I am sure you know that it is a self fertilizing hermaphrodite that broods its offspring (sometimes up to 25 at a time); is bioluminescent; and is quite possible one of the most common animals on the planet. It is found from the tropics to polar seas, and from the intertidal to about 2000m depth. Quite spectacular indeed. Incredibly successful.
tangman99
Active Member
Thanks for the additional information. I added my live rock almost two months ago when I converted from a FO. I noticed him on the back of the glass a few day later and he was about the size of dime then. I have seen him periodically over the last two months. He was out yesterday where I could get a nice picture and he is about the size of a quarter now so I guess he is doing ok
Tangman
Tangman
jonthefb
Active Member
wow they are bioluminescent? is there any way of viewing it? at night mine seem to stick only their arms above the substrate. and if i search for them with a flashlight, they are usually only pale in color. any hints on viewing their biolum? thats totally cool that they are found everywhere as well, i did no tknow that!
good stuff!
jon
good stuff!
jon