dafishdude
Member
Hey guys! Two posts at once! I was wondering if I could keep a Red Sea Star with a feather duster that I already have?
Starfish and feather duster
- Thread starter dafishdude
- Start date
dafishdude
Member
Ok thx!
dafishdude
Member
Yes, that's the starfish I wanted. The red fromia. Will it also attack shrimp, hermit crabs, or snails?
dafishdude
Member
Ok. Thx! When do you think my tank would be ready for one. I hear they need lots of food otherwise they'll attack corals. My tank is about 4 months old.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaFishDude http:///t/397823/starfish-and-feather-duster#post_3547953
Yes, that's the starfish I wanted. The red fromia. Will it also attack shrimp, hermit crabs, or snails?
Hi,
Fromia stars feed on micro-organisms and algae ..and only a certain type of algae that only they seem to recognize. So trying to feed it shrimp bits will only pollute your tank. I never had any luck with keeping one.
Here is what info I found on them:
Description
The Red Fromia Starfish is one of the hardiest of the Starfish family. They are still quite sensitive to changes in pH, temperature, and salinity changes. Fromia require a very long and slow acclimation period prior to introduction into the display aquarium.
Fromia starfish consume microorganisms and an almost invisible film alga. Because of this, they should be introduced into well established aquaria that has been running no less than 1 year . Fromia starfish stay relatively small and are better suited for smaller aquariums.
Diet
If introduced to a large well established aquarium, very little can be done to supplement the Fromia diet as its main sustenance consists of microorganisms and film algae that is invisible to the naked eye. Fromia Starfish are not considered to be good candidates for algae control problems and will likely perish in an aquarium with excessive algae problems. The algae they consume usually grows in only established and seasoned aquariums.
So They are reef safe ...and won't bother your corals, feather dusters, shrimp, crabs or snails...Keeping it from starving however is a whole different ball of wax.
Originally Posted by DaFishDude http:///t/397823/starfish-and-feather-duster#post_3547953
Yes, that's the starfish I wanted. The red fromia. Will it also attack shrimp, hermit crabs, or snails?
Hi,
Fromia stars feed on micro-organisms and algae ..and only a certain type of algae that only they seem to recognize. So trying to feed it shrimp bits will only pollute your tank. I never had any luck with keeping one.
Here is what info I found on them:
Description
The Red Fromia Starfish is one of the hardiest of the Starfish family. They are still quite sensitive to changes in pH, temperature, and salinity changes. Fromia require a very long and slow acclimation period prior to introduction into the display aquarium.
Fromia starfish consume microorganisms and an almost invisible film alga. Because of this, they should be introduced into well established aquaria that has been running no less than 1 year . Fromia starfish stay relatively small and are better suited for smaller aquariums.
Diet
If introduced to a large well established aquarium, very little can be done to supplement the Fromia diet as its main sustenance consists of microorganisms and film algae that is invisible to the naked eye. Fromia Starfish are not considered to be good candidates for algae control problems and will likely perish in an aquarium with excessive algae problems. The algae they consume usually grows in only established and seasoned aquariums.
So They are reef safe ...and won't bother your corals, feather dusters, shrimp, crabs or snails...Keeping it from starving however is a whole different ball of wax.
dafishdude
Member
Microorganisms, like copepods and amphipods? I have a refugium so maybe that would help. I also have almost no algae.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaFishDude http:///t/397823/starfish-and-feather-duster#post_3548011
Microorganisms, like copepods and amphipods? I have a refugium so maybe that would help. I also have almost no algae.
Hi,
Microorganisms are too small to see without a microscope. That's what invisible to the naked eye means, Copepods and amphipods are large enough to see, and are not microorganisms.
Originally Posted by DaFishDude http:///t/397823/starfish-and-feather-duster#post_3548011
Microorganisms, like copepods and amphipods? I have a refugium so maybe that would help. I also have almost no algae.
Hi,
Microorganisms are too small to see without a microscope. That's what invisible to the naked eye means, Copepods and amphipods are large enough to see, and are not microorganisms.
dafishdude
Member
Oh, ok. Would phytoplankton be one? I'm trying to grow those too.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaFishDude http:///t/397823/starfish-and-feather-duster#post_3548093
Oh, ok. Would phytoplankton be one? I'm trying to grow those too.
Hi,
Phytoplankton is a microorganism... Will the Fromia sea star feed on it?......nobody knows. The truth is that nobody knows what it eats because we can't see it. In a well established system it is presumed that the needed food supply is in there someplace. I personally never had any luck with them, they always starved, and my tank was up and running for years. It all depends if that one type of whatever algae it likes is in there. If your tank is less then a year old, it's too early to even try.
Phytoplankton will also feed nuisance algae, so you have to be careful with it. In the end, it's a try and see if it makes it kind of critter. If your tank does have the food supply, I've read that they are very hardy.
Originally Posted by DaFishDude http:///t/397823/starfish-and-feather-duster#post_3548093
Oh, ok. Would phytoplankton be one? I'm trying to grow those too.
Hi,
Phytoplankton is a microorganism... Will the Fromia sea star feed on it?......nobody knows. The truth is that nobody knows what it eats because we can't see it. In a well established system it is presumed that the needed food supply is in there someplace. I personally never had any luck with them, they always starved, and my tank was up and running for years. It all depends if that one type of whatever algae it likes is in there. If your tank is less then a year old, it's too early to even try.
Phytoplankton will also feed nuisance algae, so you have to be careful with it. In the end, it's a try and see if it makes it kind of critter. If your tank does have the food supply, I've read that they are very hardy.
dafishdude
Member
Ok. My tank is only a couple months old so it's probably way to early to try.