Chocolate Chip Star

[tunahelper]

Just got one for my tank and was wondering if I need to provide anything special for it to eat. Local pet store really had no good advise. I think it will just scavenge the sand and rocks...is this correct and all it needs? Thanks.

 

[misty]

Tunahelper...did you by any chance get it from the ***** on Araphao/Tollway in Dallas? I saw one there last week and it made me curious. I see that you're from Texas...that's why I ask.

 

[tunahelper]

No, I actually buy all of my fish from Petland in Lewisville or Dallas North Acquarium on Trinity Mills.
The guy that manages the fish area at Petland has been in the hobby and selling fish for years, so I really trust his advise. He is usually dead on.
The star came from Petland.

 

[misty]

Here's some information that I found about the Chocolate Chip..."Sold under names like Red-Knobbed, Chocolate Chip, and other labels, these species are hardy but aggressive feeders, more than happy to mount and consume sessile clams, oysters and all manner of corals, soft and stony."
Also, supplemental feeding was highly recommended, esp. if you don't have a well-established tank (sounds like it will be necessary if you have and love your corals as well!). The article said to use a feeding stick to place food where the starfish can/will find it before fish/hermits can grab it (use shrimp, krill).
We have a new Petland at Coit/Belt Line, but I can't even go into the store because they sell puppies and kittens (didn't that go out of style a long time ago?). Too bad, because they have a nice fish section.
Do you go to any DFW Marine meetings, etc.? My husband is absolutely no fun when it comes to fish talk/shopping...

 

[pufferlover]

Yes Choc Chips are not considered reef safe. Have one I bought and put in my 45 which is a fo tank and it has done very well. It even comes up to the top at feeding time in front and leans back at water line so I can place a piece of Krill or silversides in its center then it sits there and eats it. For 6 bucks it was a good investment.

 

[keitho]

hey guys and gals...im from the DFW area too. chocolate chip starfish, from what i've read and from what one of my friends and fellow fishheads said, eat algae, especially coralline algae. i dunno how much they consume, but if you're tank is covered in the stuff, it's a pretty safe bet that he wont do too much damage. if you're like me and would like to see the amount of purple continue to grow, you might want to hold off on adding them. also, i dunno where you guys live, but i found a really great LFS near the intersection of Garland Rd and Buckner Blvd called Boutique Pet Shop. the guy has a lot of cool corals and fish and really seem to be honest and straight up with you when you ask questions. anyway, hi to all you fellow DFW fishheads. (_8(|)

 

[tunahelper]

Alrighty then...looks like I need to get rid of the star before I get any coral or decide to do a fish only tank. I am really undecided, I like both.
Thanks for all the advice. I will get a feeding stick to feed him for the time being. Thanks again!
No I haven't been to any meetings or anything, that would actually help me quite a bit! Where are they and how often?

 

[crablegs]

I have two and one of mine will come up to the top when it's hungry but the other always stays on the bottom. I feed mine a small peice if shrimp 2 or 3 time a week (don't know if that's the correct feeding interval or not), I just barely

[hr]
the shrimp on a feeding stick so it will come off easily and then place it under the starfish.

 

[tunahelper]

I have not fed this guy at all since I got it about five days ago. I will get some shrimp today and get him full and happy. Any suggestions on type of shrimp to feed?

 

[misty]

Wow...I bet it's really cool when they come up to eat.
Tunahelper...the information I found just said krill/shrimp. I know you can buy it dried, but not sure how it would stay on a feeding stick. I'd bet you can get something frozen that would work.
The DFW Marine Aquatic Society (I think that's the name) meets the 3rd Wednesday of every month. They have a website...just do a search for DFWMAS or DFW Marine and you'll find it. I'm planning to go to the 8/15 meeting...it's in Plano this month.
Keitho...I've been going to Fish Oasis at Coit/Campbell. It's a small LFS that specialized in marine aquatics. The usual LFS stuff...overpriced dry goods, friendly help, nice livestock, and lots of corals. I'll have to check out your place, too. Can't hurt to have more than one good LFS.

 

[chocochipper]

I've got two of them in my tank. A big one about 4" long and a little one about 1.5" long. So far I don't have corals or LR, but I've too have read that they like it and will eat them. Mine have done a good job eating the algae off the rocks and glass. The big one climbs up to the surface of the water when he gets hungry with his leg bent back. The little one sits at the bottom most of the time. I went to the grocery store and picked up some cocktail shrimp that I have fed them a couple times a week and they seem to really like that. It's pretty neat to watch them eat.

 

[johnnysalt]

Yea! More D/FW reefers!! Hopefully I will get to come to some meetings with you guys! (I'm in Fort Worth)
Re: choc chip star....IMO do NOT get one if you have/plan to have live rock.....it will GRAZE on it all the time! It loved eating the coraline algae on mine - and I loved exchanging it for another invert at my lfs!

 

[delphi]

Originally posted by Tunahelper
No, I actually buy all of my fish from Petland in Lewisville or Dallas North Acquarium on Trinity Mills.
The guy that manages the fish area at Petland has been in the hobby and selling fish for years, so I really trust his advise. He is usually dead on.
The star came from Petland.
Do you know the name of the guy who manages the fish area at Petland, I am thinking about going SW and I have sooooo many ?'s it may be easier for me to talk to him. BTW I live very close to that Petland.
Delphi

 

[ophiura]

Originally posted by keitho
from what i've read and from what one of my friends and fellow fishheads said, eat algae, especially coralline algae.
Do you mind if I ask where you read this? Chocolate chip stars are generally predatory, though they have the ability to eat algae when needed. While they will eat algae to some degree, they are in no way considered grazers like this (though they are often 'grazing' on the critters that are eating the algae, so it may appear they are going after the algae). Urchins eat corraline algae, but not, in my experience, chocolate chip stars which are on the lookout for meatier stuff. It is possible, for sure, but that is not what most people worry about and I would encourage feeding it meatier things. They will eat all manner of snails, clams, corals etc though.

 

[pufferfan]

Unless your tank is Fish Only, i would take the CCSF back to the store. Some of them can be extemely aggressive. My friend had one that ended up eating several of his inhabitants. They are great for fish only tanks as long as you spot feed them silversides or krill or something.

 

[cb]

I have one and I feed it 2 or 3 times a week. So far he has not bothered anything in my tank I have a condi anemone and yellow button polyps in there but no other corals it has never bothered any of the fish or snails or crabs. But this is probably because I keep it fed. I feed it frozen krill off a bamboo skewer.