Puffer and Starfish help needed ASAP

[takia]

Last night I bought a med. (4-5 inches) dogface puffer and after a day he is already eating..... MY CHOC CHIP STARFISH!! He has ate the tops off of the chips and the tips of his hands. Please, does anybody have any advice? And what is the likliehood that the starfish will live after this? Right now the starfush is in a breeding net seperated. I am willing to take the fish back. Thanks so much for any input. I LOVE that little starfish, and may give it all up if he goes.

 

[sankysyuck]

Maybe you should get a smaller, more peaceful type of puffer.

 

[unleashed]

unfortunately puffers and inverts dont live well together.puffers prefer them on a platter so to speek.most starfish reproduce missing limbs I dont know much about the choc chip though as far as hardynes goes.sad to say that star doesnt have a chance with a puffer.separating him was a very good idea.if its a choice which you would like to keep in this tank id say take your pick or keep a devider up

 

[ophiura]

Very bad combination - puffers are natural predators of seastars (as are large wrasses, triggers, etc).
Keep the star well fed and it should be OK, but you will not be able to keep it with the puffer.

 

[shoimen]

Originally posted by ophiura
Very bad combination - puffers are natural predators of seastars (as are large wrasses, triggers, etc).
AGREED.
Puffers are very likely to nip at stars. I had my porcupine with a cho chip for a few years with no problems....But dogfaces are much larger/more notorious invert killers.
I got a Cho Chip from a friend who had a Hawaiian Spotted puffer that frequented the tips of the star. The star recovered fully...but the pointy 'chips' are now very round.