the mantis
Member
Can someone tell me why the knobby star is not reef safe..? This site sells them, but dont explain why they are not reef safe...They are the red stars with the spikes on them....Thanks !!!
Knobby Star
- Thread starter the mantis
- Start date
ophiura
Active Member
Because the diets of many of these seastars are poorly known, some sites list them as not reef safe. The red General aka Red African is NOT reef safe, as it is predatory. The red knobby is probably reef safe, but needs a very large system. It is similar in dietary requirements to a Linckia. Do some research on those. They can not be spot fed so they definitely need lots and lots of LR. And water quality is very important. Not for young tanks!
gold strip
Member
If the picture that this site has for the knoby star is correct then I have had one in my 90 for almost a year and have had absolutely no problems with him at all. He moves around quite a bit on rocks and glass but hangs out around my powerheads alot eating the algae that accumulates where they are attached to the glass. Mine is reddish orange and looks exactly like the one this site has under knobby.
gold strip
Member
Just looked at the site listing again and it says they eat meaty foods so mine must be a weird one because it eats a lot of algae as well. The one they have pictured could be its twin so I know its the same starfish.
ophiura
Active Member
Gold Strip,
I think they might be a bit on the cautious side. If they sell something that is reef safe, and it turns out to be predatory, people are unhappy. If they sell something that is predatory, then people know not to put it in their reefs. If the animal dies of starvation in 9 months, people think it is normal for it to die and buy a new one.
If the diet is not known, they tend to be cautious. In this case, the diet is most likely similar to that of a Linckia, bacterial and algal films and sponges...we think! But probably not corals, snails, etc (meaty things).
So I think you have a normal seastar.
I think they might be a bit on the cautious side. If they sell something that is reef safe, and it turns out to be predatory, people are unhappy. If they sell something that is predatory, then people know not to put it in their reefs. If the animal dies of starvation in 9 months, people think it is normal for it to die and buy a new one.
If the diet is not known, they tend to be cautious. In this case, the diet is most likely similar to that of a Linckia, bacterial and algal films and sponges...we think! But probably not corals, snails, etc (meaty things).
So I think you have a normal seastar.
the mantis
Member
Thanks for the info guys....I Had mine for about 6 months now and ive had no problems with him...I got a little nervous because this site says that he is not reef safe...I have a 300 gal reef with plenty of LR for him so that will help...thanks for all the help
ophiura
Active Member
I believe this particular star is Echinaster echinophorus, and it should be reef safe. YOu can do a search for it. The diets are poorly understood, but in my reading, people do not appear to have issues with them. Indeed, like most Linckia, they appear unresponsive to spot feeding an indication that they are microbial/bacterial film grazers...though encrusting sponges may be on the menu as well.
