STAR FISH compatibility question

ophiura

Active Member
Well, the rational is a good one. Tizzo does not want people thinking "oh, so if I feed that then I won't have to worry about LR." A noble concern, IMO. She has found something that HER star will eat, but it is not a generalization, nor is it sure to keep it alive. LR is still critical, and LR may still be the story unless she wants to put in a disclaimer. :yes:
 

keonia

Member
Ophiura ---how many starfish do you own? Have you ever had any offsprings?????? I saw your reef pic on another thread it was LOVELY!!! If you have any other neat pics.. Please Post!!!
Thanks again for all your helpful advice !!! :jumping: :)
 

snipe

Active Member
It is a good point not to post it. Because some will spot feed but they are not used to that certain food it probly wont sustain them very long "like feeding a T-Rex veggies". As said some will but 99% wont.
 
T

tizzo

Guest
Well, until it's been verified that linckias eat this certain food, there is absolutely no advantage to posting what it is other than to satisfy curiosity. But curiosity is not more important than the health, and well being of these creatures!! I wanted Ophiura to get the info for a while now but I had no other way to get it to her, so I posted what I did as "bait" I guess... Maybe now her and her resources can look into it, but it is outa my hands now. I've only had MY linckia for 2 months, so it is a far stretch from a success story thus far.
I trust Ophiura when she says a large established tank with LOTS of LR, so whether this works or not, you should only chance a blue linckia if these conditions are met. :joy:
 

farmboy

Active Member
""You two would whisper to each other in a crowded room then smile and not say a word. . . .wouldn't you? You're not gonna tell us are ya? ""
I was only teasing, guys!!
I think your concerns are valid-and agree with your outlook.
I don't believe "if 99% of folks can't do something, then maybe I can."
That seems foolish and selfish.
It is interesting to know that you found something that your starfish likes to eat. I would like to hear if Ophiura has any luck with the same thing. TIZZO may be on to something.
In summary:Just kidding :D - cool discovery :jumping: - keep us posted :yes:
 
T

tizzo

Guest
[QUOTE=FarmboyI was only teasing, guys!!
I Knew you were teasing!! I was actually gonna quote you then say..."yeah", but I thought it'd be rude, and I'd be lying if I said no so I didn't say anything. No worries, I knew you were bein' a goof. :jumping:
 

keonia

Member
Okay.. :happyfish :happyfish :happyfish :jumping: . Guys -- the main point is if you dont have enough matured live rock in an established tank -- DONT GET THis Starfish (its not fair to it)-- I am resisting the strong temptations of getting this really pretty bright blue starfish and will go abouts the advice from the experts and from those who really had the experience of caring for a starfish that I was originally thinking of.
Personally --- I don't think I will waste money on purchasing one and not being able to adequately provide a safe environment for this blue starfish!!! But most importantly, I like it too much to purchase - adopt one and kill it -- not being able to care for it!! and the worst case scenerio -- the starfish dies, :eek: and your tank gets messed up!!!
Now, I know this link is for the blue or orange Linckia but I would like ask what are opinions on the brittle starfish??????????

I got one upon the advice of my lfs that I trust!!!!!! I ordered it from SWF.COM with my cleaning crew-- my LFS is TERRIFIC and they even discourage not to buy stuff just to sell it. They also give me alot of support -- especially when my Brackish -- OHHHH freshwater figure 8 puffers weren't doing so hot!!
I'm gonna hijack my own thread ---
now my understanding of satisfying livestock in the tank is to be sure that there are adequate food resources (I.E. Live rocks) for -- the brittle star
.. Now It was recommended by the majority of people -- and also from my other thread that you don't want the starfish to be dependent on you as a source of food
Here's the question,
How about a brittle star as a beginner star fish in my tank? I already have him, He seems to be doing well scavenging and hiding in my LR and also the food that I feed my other fishies -- Brine and even Krill. He hides and he comes out to play once in a while but I just wanted to pose this question
.
I guess I am posing this question because it might bring light to those in my position who wants to adopt a blue Linckia but cant and
wondering what opinions are for resorting to a brittle star.
 

wax32

Active Member
Brittle/serpent stars are an excellent "beginner" star. Mine eats anything and everything. It's nice that they are fast too, so you get to see them in action.
 

ophiura

Active Member
I think they are excellent as well, except the green, a known predator. Not that I have an issue with it, but it is worth warning people. I'ev never had a problem. In my tank, I have 3 green brittlestars (2 rescued from near death), 1 Ophiomastix annulosa brittlestar, 1 Ophiolepis superba "serpentstar", 1 Ophiocoma wendtii brittlestar, 2 assorted Ophioderma "serpentstars" and 1 Ophioderma squamossisimum "serpentstar." So that is what, 9? No seastars apart from the hitch hiker Asterina. Maybe someday a Linckia multiflora.
Brittle/serpentstars can be spot fed in many cases...though I certainly have some that don't respond much. This makes them more suitable than Linckia sp stars...only Ophioderma squamossisimum has significant issues with acclimation (at least from what I can tell). That one is on par with Linckia in regard to acclimation.
 

farmboy

Active Member
I thought Ophiura had a linckia?? I don't know why I thought that.
I think she should have one. ASAP
 

dragonet12

New Member
I am planning on getting a orange linkia star but i have a clownfish and anenome will the linkia be ok with a urchin and the other two. also is there a reef safe star that eats bristle worm i have they are driving me mad :mad: and will the bristle worms eat the star. thanks for any help. h*
 
S

sinner's girl

Guest
I loved my brittle. I'm told brittles and serpents live about 6 years, is this correct? I bought my brittle from here sometime in 2001, he past away last week. He was a trooper. He liked raw salad shrimp, about 1/3 once a week, When we got him, it was tiny, but before he got sick, he was big and wonderful. My serpent though, has more personality than the brittle. If I hold the shrimp in the water for about 30secs, you'll see it come running from where ever it was in the lr, he'll 'stand' on two 'legs' and wave his 'arms' to get the food. Both would eat right out of my hand. When I had fish I would also feed them some brine shrimp, but that's messy and the brine goes everywhere, so I only fed brine when I had fish and other to clean up.
We have another brittle on the way, though I didn't want him, Sinner did.
wax32, that link didn't work for me.
 

keonia

Member
If you want, you can say that the one in my tank is yours and I'm forever holding it for you.

Shnabbles

[hr]
U wish!!!!!!!!!! :scared:
Tizzo let me adopt it while it's in her tank!!!
(since I can't keep one)!!!!!!!
did you see that wonderful pics -- someone posted a starfish reproduction online.. OMG it was NEAT !!!
Dragonet -- gotta wait to see if OPIhura can answer your question.. I can vouch that my green and black brittle wont even mess with bristole worms.. they just move their arms around and over it.
 

keonia

Member
From TIzzo
If you want, you can say that the one in my tank is yours and I'm forever holding it for you.

Shnabbles

[hr]
U wish!!!!!!!!!! :scared:
Tizzo let me adopt it while it's in her tank!!!
(since I can't keep one)!!!!!!!
did you see that wonderful pics -- someone posted a starfish reproduction online.. OMG it was NEAT !!!
Dragonet -- gotta wait to see if OPIhura can answer your question.. I can vouch that my green and black brittle wont even mess with bristole worms.. they just move their arms around and over it.
 

ophiura

Active Member
Originally Posted by Sinner's Girl
I loved my brittle. I'm told brittles and serpents live about 6 years, is this correct? .
The current debate in the echinoderm research community is whether echinoderms age at all - they certainly do not appear to show signs of "old age" and do not have a fixed expected lifespan so far as I can tell.
Dragonet12 -
Can you provide specifics about your tank (age, size, LR, specific water parameters) to determine if a Linckia is even suitable for your tank at all? If it is a suitable system - at least, IMO, a 6 month old 75g tank with 100lbs of LR, then it will be fine with the inhabitants you have. If it is less than this, if water parameters are not pristine, then IMO you may have some issues.
 

mimzy

Active Member
hhm..how small can you go tank-wise with a serpent star? :thinking:
Are there any stars that will flourish in a nano? (Under 20 gallons)
So much conflicitng info... want 2 know b4 I kill something... thought I'd ask... don't mean to hijack

Great thread everybody!
 
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