Starfish Question
- Thread starter blizz75
- Start date
1911_guy
Member
Wow, those are some awesome looking stars. I was reading one of my "Aquatic" books the other day and read that a certain fish or invert feeds soley on starfish. I'm sorry but I can't remember what it was. Just make sure whatever aggresive livestock you add that they don't feed on starfish.
blizz75
Member
I think your talkin about the Harlequin shrimp. They wouldnt get to it before my eel got to them! And thanks My friend collected them and put them in my tank and i thought they would die because i didnt know what to feed them but i found out they love mussels and since they have breed 3 times! Babies all over the tank!
ophiura
Active Member
I don't see it all that commonly in the hobby. Have you noticed it taking to spot feeding? The genus as a whole is similar to Linckia, so it may not, in which case a mature reef tank at least 100g with lots of LR will be better. If it does take to spot feeding, then the size is not as critical though water quality will still be critical (not always able to keep stable in more aggressive systems). What fish are you planning for the semi aggressive? Puffers, triggers and larger wrasses will definitely be a problem for these stars. Angels and butterflyfish may also pick at the arms.
blizz75
Member
Thanks for responding. As for feeding no problem they eat live mussels one each every week and have been for about 6 months. They have breed also as stated before so they seem quite happy. I am planning to keep a snowflake eel, hamlet and lion maybe one other fish and a pencil urchin. Nothing too aggressive, will these tank mates work? Thanks again
ophiura
Active Member
They should.
Good to hear they can be spot fed, which also probably means they are not reef safe.
As for breeding, are you sure? Can you describe what you see? There is a common small hitch hiker star called Asterina that is common in our tank. Reproduction in stars like this would not be common.
Good to hear they can be spot fed, which also probably means they are not reef safe.
As for breeding, are you sure? Can you describe what you see? There is a common small hitch hiker star called Asterina that is common in our tank. Reproduction in stars like this would not be common.
blizz75
Member
Yeah i will try to get some today but my camera is pretty bad to take micro shots of things. And i know its hard to believe. Does this sound like there form of reproduction? The one star will release all of its tentacles?, it looks like untill they are all over the tank and the next day we got babies!
philgmiami
Member
these starfish are common in the gulf of florida. i find them all the time off the coast of hernando beach..i cant have starfish cause of my niggar trigger and my korean angel
.. ive had those starfish, orange linka and blue...i want a starfish
.. they make your tank look sooo cool
blizz75
Member
Yeah, a friend collected these two in a small lagoon just outside of my marina in ozona, FL. This guys are hardy. I didnt know about them and my friend just put them in the tank w/o acclimation and they were fine. Took to feeding right away once i found what they liked. Im surprised they dont make it into the hobby, There cool looking and easy to keep from what ive seen but maybe i got lucky after reading their similar to Linckia.
blizz75
Member
I took some pictures but these stars are newly born and so small that you couldnt tell what they were. Do asternia live in the gulf because every thing in my tank is from Florida. The rock, sand fish. I dont know if its possible a asternia would be found in my tank. Plus these babies are bright orange with the same yellowish tentacles coming out of them. This brings me to another question, What should i do when these babies grow up?? Should i return them to the ocean or a pet store? I do not have the space to keep Hundreds of stars! :notsure: