thinking of getting a star...

[bret61081]

well my tank has been setup for 8 months now and everything is going pretty good. 55G, 60Lps of LS, about 85 lps of LR. The only real corals I hace a a torch coral, red mushrooms, and a small leather coral. I have been thinking of getting a starfish. I would love a Blue Lanckia, but I know they don't do well so I have been thinking of getting either a Orange star fish or red knobby star. Anyone have any feed back on these? I know when the red knobby stars get bigger they like to snack on corals. Let me know what you guys think! thanks
:happyfish

 

[ophiura]

Who said they like to snack on corals? Unfortunately there are two stars known as knobby stars and they are quite different...but there is nothing that I have red about the "reef safe" version that indicates it will eat corals. The orange Linckia, IMO, may be marginal in this size tank. Actually many reef safe stars are marginal in this tank size, I am afraid. Perhaps a Linckia multiflora will do OK, if you can find one.

 

[bret61081]

They have a knobby at my LFS and the owner said they do like to snack on soft corals, exp zoos. I am gonna take the name to my LFS this afternoon and see if he can order it...any idea on price?

 

[ophiura]

No, but I recommend you distinguish between the supposedly reef safe Echinaster echinophorus versus the definitely not reef safe at any size Protoreaster linckii (aka the red African or red general star). Personally, at least. The Protoreaster would be easier to keep in large part because they do eat meaty things like corals, anemones, snails, clams etc. The Echinaster may or may not survive beyond a year in your tank. Be sure the specific gravity in your system is in the ideal range (1.025-1.026) and that your LFS also keeps specific gravity in this range. Actually it would be best just not to allow them to acclimate it to their system at all, because most likely they don't, and a lot of damage can be done right there.

 

[bret61081]

He has 2 of the Knobbys...hes had them for over 2 months now which was why I have been thinking about getting one. I am gonna head over in a few and see if he can order me the Linckia multiflora. Thanks and I will keep you posted