Star for reef

[carrie1429]

I am planning on starting a nano reef and what starfish could I keep. I know some stars will eat stuff out of the sand and the rocks and things but what kind of starts are reef safe, brittle stars? My tank is only 5 gallons so I need something small if I can keep anything.

 

[steamboat1569]

I only have experience with the Green Brittle Star. I definitely would not recomend it for a small tank. I have had mine for a very long time and he has pretty much outgrown my 55 gallon tank. I am having to upgrade tanks, just to keep the critters that I have. I know that the other brittles don't get quite as big as the greens, but you may have to stay away from the brittles altogether.
I'm sure someone out there has experience with some of the smaller species of echinoderms. They may offer you some choices.

 

[dad]

I read somewhere the "red sea stars" are great for nano tanks.
a posibility?

 

[tjkohler]

My yellow/black brittle is fine in my 10 gallon. He may prefer a bigger tank, so I'm getting a 75 . My wife calls him the octopus. She saw him and the next thing I knew she was handing me money for it. In a 5 gallon I would definitaly get a small one though.

 

[jonthefb]

any star of the genus fromia will be great in a nano. i really dont consider my 20 a nano, bu tanyway, i have a Fromia milleporella in it, adn the little guy is just gorgeous. hes maybe 2 inches from arm to arm, is bright red-orange, and has thousands of tiny balck dots all over him. do a general search on yahoo for fromia, and then a search for fromia milleporella. these guys are strictyl detritus/micro flora/faunae eaters, and are great littel scavengers in a tank!
good luck
jon

 

[pyro383]

red spiney reef star or a red brittle star could work.

 

[iechy]

I would not suggest a brittle for that tank. I have one in my 55 and he is outgroing it it seems. He is probably8-10 inches from tip to tip. Since they don't really stetch out like that he still has plenty of room but I don't think he'd like your tank much. You could always get a really small one though and use it as an excuse to upgrade later

 

[minireef75]

there are starfish that barely get over and inch..they would be great for your application...I have a bunch that live in my dsb...email me for more info