Reef Safe Starfish On Glass?

extinct 1ne

Member
I was just wondering if there were any Starfish that stick on the glass and are reef safe. The Chocolate Chip Starfish I heard will damage the Corals. But, is there any safe ones (that stick on the glass of course, lol).
 

dbestnindy

Member
My husband bought a red fromia on a whim. We usally read up on what we purchase ahead of time. It didn't last a week. No more starfish for me. I hate being the one that caused it to die. I really have no idea what the reason was but he didn't survive.
 

xcali1985

Active Member
Originally Posted by lighteningthes
http:///forum/post/3116883
Starfish are so sensitive I wonder how they survive in the ocean.
Ive only heard of Starfish being successfully kept in larger tanks 125 gallons or more. Ive seen my dad keep one for 2 months but it was on its way out well before then that was in a 55 gallon.
 

flower

Well-Known Member

Sea stars like the rock or sand, that is where the food is. Breeding, fighting for territory and eating is all any critter does. Since there is no glass in the ocean...there are no stars that like the glass, they may get on it, but not stay there.
I had a red knobby star that stayed in the open pretty much...moved around allot. I have read they are not reef safe, but I had mine for over a year in a 55g. Here is a picture. He didn't bother any corals at all.

 

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by jmoore1197
http:///forum/post/3117449
i have several TINY TINY hitchhiker star fish that seem to do just fine. but they are as big as an eraser head

read somewhere on here that they are not good in a reef, they eat coral...
 

loopy101

Member
Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3117452

read somewhere on here that they are not good in a reef, they eat coral...
look up asterina stars. more then likely that is what came in as the hitch hiker. that or small serpent stars. i have many of each and both are fine another good part of a CUC. although i have heard that in extreme large numbers the asterina star could bother corals but not confirmed in my oppion...
 

uneverno

Active Member
Little tiny ones sound like asterina stars.There is some debate, but a potential problem for corals.
 

jackri

Active Member
I have a few of the asterina stars.. they don't hurt anything and actually have reef members that want a few to "infect" their tanks with them. Good crap eaters and mine came out of a 12 year old reef setup off some coral.
Mine actually end up in my sump --- for some reason they go right to my overflow and down to the sump never to return to the main tank.
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by jackri
http:///forum/post/3118017
I have a few of the asterina stars.. they don't hurt anything and actually have reef members that want a few to "infect" their tanks with them. Good crap eaters and mine came out of a 12 year old reef setup off some coral.
Mine actually end up in my sump --- for some reason they go right to my overflow and down to the sump never to return to the main tank.

So those tiny stars are not harmful??? I sware I read somewhere on here they were bad...now I am confused.
 

ophiura

Active Member
Originally Posted by lighteningthes
http:///forum/post/3116883
Starfish are so sensitive I wonder how they survive in the ocean.
They survive very well indeed in natural seawater. It is synthetic seawater and failure to acclimate that kills them in the hobby. After that, they die due to starvation.
there are no stars that stay on the glass.
Most reef safe seastars are very delicate and I can not recommend any without knowing the specific parameters and set up of the tank. Most Linckia and Fromia in this trade will, IMO, die well ahead of time.
 

ophiura

Active Member
Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3117452

read somewhere on here that they are not good in a reef, they eat coral...

The overwhelming majority are absolutely harmless. There is the possibility of a problem, but it is quite rare all considering. Most people with LR or frags probably have these stars.
 

ophiura

Active Member
Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3117011

Sea stars like the rock or sand, that is where the food is. Breeding, fighting for territory and eating is all any critter does. Since there is no glass in the ocean...there are no stars that like the glass, they may get on it, but not stay there.
I had a red knobby star that stayed in the open pretty much...moved around allot. I have read they are not reef safe, but I had mine for over a year in a 55g. Here is a picture. He didn't bother any corals at all.

This is Echinaster echinophorus and is reef safe and not a threat to corals..
It is not the same knobby star that typically goes by that name...or otherwise called chocolate chip, red African star or general star all in the genus Protoreaster.
Did yours die or did you give it away? Like Linckia, it is a surface film grazer or sponge eater and many or most will starve without enough live rock. It is not common overall in the hobby, but it turns up occasionally.
 
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