Red General Star

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crm13

Guest
I have never had one, but from what I understand about them, they are dangerous to mobile and sessile inverts. I believe that they are carnivorous and may eat your shrimp, soft coral, and cleaner crew species. I think I saw a presentation on INHD, or maybe it was Discovery:notsure: , that showed a large army of those things just wiping out everything in their path on a wild reef. The aftermath was unbelievable. Maybe someone else who has had one, or tried to keep one in a reef could hop in here and confirm.
 
badkharma

badkharma

Member
I have one in a FOWLR tank - they are not reef-safe at all - you are playing with fire.
I haven't lost my cleaner shrimp to it, but it will eat hermits (sometimes), snails (especially), soft corals, clams, etc. It is pretty cool, yet destructive. A good FOWLR species, but I would keep a very close eye on it.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
They can eat anything they want. I agree, it is playing with fire. Corals, clams, snails, scallops...all fair game. This isn't quite the same beast as Acanthaster, which is a favorite beast of the discovery show which favors corals and can do incredible damage. I reckon it would prefer snails and clams, etc, but I definitely wouldn't risk corals to find out.
They do have the advantage of taking to spot feeding which might minimize predation. But rarely do animals pass up free meals.
 
malounsbury

malounsbury

Member
Not to thread hijack or anything, but I was thinking about a Red General Star or Chocolate chip star when I started my tank, but I wasn't planning on doing a reef tank, just FOWLR. I was also planning on a cleanup crew of snails and a shrimp. I'm assuming that a star would not be recommended with a cleanup crew like that?
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Well, it is a possible trade off. I don't think the are a big risk to shrimp, but snails and hermits are more of a possibility. However, they can be kept well fed and this may minimize losses. What sort of fish were you considering? I'll throw in that triggers and puffers are natural predators of stars like this.
 
malounsbury

malounsbury

Member
Tenatively, here's what I'm planning for my tank:
Percula Clownfish x 2
Lemonpeel Angel
Royal Gramma
Clown Goby - Green
Sixline Wrasse
Lawnmower Blenny
Oh, also I was thinking about getting an emerald crab also with the other cleanup crew.
 
blemmy_guy

blemmy_guy

Active Member
COOL, SO WHAT IS A FISH, LIVE ROCK WITH SOME SOFT CORAL, AND INVERTABRATES, AND ANENOMIES ?? OR IS CONSIDERED A FOWLR ALSO ??
 
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capschamp

Guest
If you have coral that is the beginning of a reef. inverts (anemones are inverts) are also part of the reef, but technically corals begin the basis. Some tanks that are FOWLR can't keep inverts due to the aggresive nature of the fish living within. And others have got away with it.
 
blemmy_guy

blemmy_guy

Active Member
hey capschamp, did you get the e-mail i sent you today ?? let me know what you think im definately in favor of that sump, just wanted your input on ot and if theres any thing else i need to order with it? todd
 
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capschamp

Guest
i just checked that out again, and i think that it may be a bit small for your 125. I dont know how many gallons that one is, but i think you may want one that is a tad bigger. but like i wrote in your email, have some others check it out. more opinions will let you make a better decision, and that auction still has a week on it so you have time.
 
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capschamp

Guest
in that one you sent me that skimmer works right with the sump.
 
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