star on star crime

[1911_guy]

I'm pretty sure my chocolate chip starfish just ate my red marble starfish.

I saw the marble on one spot...a while later i saw the choco on top of it with just a finger tip showing beneath him and now he's moved off and no more marble. is this normal?
I've had the choco for 3 months and the marble for 8 days.

 

[ophiura]

Entirely possible....entirely possible.
The chocolate chip is predatory.
The marble is both extremely delicate and prone to severe acclimation shock. Most, IMO, do not survive long in this hobby.
It is entirely possible the marble star was dying, as many seem to do, relatively soon after introduction. The chocolate chip would have "smelled" this.
I strongly discourage keeping the marble star unless it is a large mature reef tank, 6 months old, with at least 100lbs of LR. This star, a Fromia, is even more difficult, IMO, than Linckia stars.

 

[1911_guy]

Thanks Ophiura,
I did not know this about these things about the marble star. I have a 75g FOWLR with about 105 pounds live rock. I like to watch starfish when they're moving around. Will I be able to add another star and keep my chocolate chip starfish? I was planning on getting a linkia or two and a brittle star. I need something that will really sift through my sand bed.

 

[ophiura]

The chocolate chip is a threat, IMO, to any Linckia or similar star. If you do try a Linckia, please please please do not try more than one. Even one may not do well...if you do try, I don't recommend a blue Linckia.
I would personally suggest you consider other predatory stars such as Bahama, red African or General stars...though any might attack one another. That is always a risk.
Brittlestars in general (apart from the green) may be suitable, but do not count on them to "sift sand." For that role, I would suggest snails or conchs.
Sand sifter stars are also a poor choice, IMO, and most don't do well long term.

 

[dc2mlbsm]

Originally Posted by ophiura
The chocolate chip is a threat, IMO, to any Linckia or similar star. If you do try a Linckia, please please please do not try more than one. Even one may not do well...if you do try, I don't recommend a blue Linckia.
I would personally suggest you consider other predatory stars such as Bahama, red African or General stars...though any might attack one another. That is always a risk.
Brittlestars in general (apart from the green) may be suitable, but do not count on them to "sift sand." For that role, I would suggest snails or conchs.
Sand sifter stars are also a poor choice, IMO, and most don't do well long term.
whats wrong with the green brittle?

 

[ophiura]

It is a known predator in the wild, a behavior sometimes seen in captivity.

 

[1911_guy]

Ophiura, I've seen where you say the chocolate chip starfish should be spot fed. Is this soley because it is a predatory feeder? And how much food and how often do you recommend?
I was able to spot feed the choco one piece of krill a few days ago. About 10 hours before he ate the marble star I watched him eat some frozen food that sank to the bottom. It was a good amount of food too, almost the size of the tip of my pinky finger.

 

[mudplayerx]

I've heard that chocolate chip stars will eat just about anything they can catch/fit into their "mouths." This includes your cleaning crew as well :scared:

 

[sharkbait9]

Originally Posted by mudplayerx
I've heard that chocolate chip stars will eat just about anything they can catch/fit into their "mouths." This includes your cleaning crew as well :scared:
Oh yeah, that is so true. In my fowler tank, I watch it just go snail to snail sucking them out like pimentos out an olive.