Starfish

[bmac_2727]

I am curious about introducing starfish into a reef tank. don't have it up and running yet due to the fact the army has me elsewhere. I am building my list of wants I guess but I haven't had luck with starfish in the past. Now i like to refer to myself as an experienced newbie simply for all the mistakes I have had to learn the hard way in this very addicting hobby. I had some Xenia'a in my old 55gl and a chocolate chip star (my wife had to have) in the same tank. Needless to say I am sure all you experts know what happened to the xenia......dead. So I am wondering what would be a good star to put on the list so I don't have to wake up one morning and find all my corals have been eaten. Your help would save me a ton of trouble I am sure.

 

[olemiss]

I'd go with a serpent star, won't bother corals or fish, pretty hardy as far as stars go. Only drawback is they pretty much stay in/under the rockwork. Mine does come out during the dinner rush, albeit quite briefly.

 

[nihoa]

we had a choc chip star in our reef tank when it was small and as long as we kept it fed it behaved. as it got much bigger its appetite got outta control and its not in the sump far away from soft corals!

 

[bmac_2727]

Ya i was thinking about getting a brittle star. I have been looking online alot and I can't really find any that "stand out" if you know what I mean. Is there a certain breed or type that come in interesting colors?

 

[jackri]

I've heard stay away from the green ones, there was just a thread recently on reef safe stars.
I have a serpent star myself in my reef tank, don't see him much during the day except feeding time -- I feed him directly once or twice a week and does great -- going on over a year no problems.

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by jackri
http:///forum/post/3112512
I've heard stay away from the green ones, there was just a thread recently on reef safe stars.
I have a serpent star myself in my reef tank, don't see him much during the day except feeding time -- I feed him directly once or twice a week and does great -- going on over a year no problems.

I have a huge..and I mean huge green brittle star. I have never had any problems…What are you warning about, what did you hear? I like to be safe rather than sorry.

 

[ophiura]

Unfortunately no one can really answer your question without knowing specifics of the tanks. All reef safe seastars really require very large mature reef tanks with a lot of live rock. Linckia and Fromia stars require a good 100+ pounds of high quality live rock.
They are some of the most difficult animals we keep, and most will likely die in our smaller tanks.
So if you post specs of what you intend to have, we might be able to answer. Otherwise, stick to brittle or serpentstars.
the green is a KNOWN predator in the wild. Why I also have never had issues with mine, it is a very real risk and I don't recommend it.
Brittlestars are all basically nocturnal. You have to appreciate them for their overall sheer coolness. But keeping one does not mean you can't keep other stars, or multiple brittlestars.

 

[bmac_2727]

I am just looking into certain things right now and options. Before I deployed I had the 55gl but I have really been wanting a Biocube 29 for some time now just never got around to actually buying one. I want one mainly becuase it will be my first reef tank, the 55 had mostly fish with a bulb and some xenia but thats about it besides LR. Taking into consideration of what I have been reading here a star wouldn't be the best idea then simply becuase of the size of the tank then. So just curious, my wife, loves starfish so I will constantly be getting nagged to get one. So is there a type I could get that would be reef safe and live comfortably in a 29 Biocube?

 

[ophiura]

Asterina stars (common hitch hikers) and brittle/serpentstars (though not the green) would be suitable. Reef safe seastars (Linkcia, Fromia) will likely starve in that size tank

 

[tang master]

+1