What Kind Of Starfish For My Tank?

[saltwater2]

I want to get a starfish for my fish only tank.
I don't want one that will eat the other fish when they are sleeping.
I already have a sand sifting starfish. Which I hardly ever see.
I have crabs and snails along with a cleaner shrimp in the tank already.
A pair of clownfish, damsel, flame angel and wrasse, yellow tang.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Judy

 

[mantisman51]

I have had 3 blue serpent stars that have harmed nothing for the 8 months I've had them. I've read here that they are predatory, but have not lost a fish, snail or crab to them. They came in about 4" and are now 6-8". They hang out in the LR with their tentacles up like antennae and reach from around the LR for the shrimp, mussel and squid I chop and sprinkle where they hang out. Like damsels, I'm sure there'll be the folks who scream that they are murderers in the waiting, but I have not had any livestock losses to them in my 125g reef tank. I keep them with a bluefin angel, red spotted hawk, 2 blue and 3-3stripe damsels, a lawn mower blenny, a yellow tang and a mystery wrasse, a 6 line wrasse, about 200-250 hermits, 3 peppermint shrimp and a bunch of cerynth and turbo snails. And 2 emerald crabs.

 

[mantisman51]

Also, I turn my tank lights off and the moonglows on for 8 hours a night. They aren't predatory, they are scavangers. Let the castigation begin.

 

[saltwater2]

Thanks for the feedback on the serpent starfish.
Appreciate any more feedback on these fish.
Thanks.
Judy

 

[ophiura]

Please provide all of your tank parameters - age, size, lr, inhabitants, and specific parameters.
seastars are some of the most delicate animals we can keep, and many will die in our tanks (your sand sifter may face this if your tank is less than 100g with a deep sand bed...most will die of starvation).
Many seastars are not suitable for our tanks.
Without knowing your parameters and tank set up, it is impossible to really recommend anything specifically. I have never heard of a blue serpentstar, and would love to see a picture.
ALL serpentstars and brittlestars (which are the same thing) have some level of threat. They are opportunistic. The green brittlestar is a known predator in the wild, though I have never had issues with them. But I've seen nearly every species in the hobby implicated in something...so it is a matter of risks.

 

[socalnano24]

I have a 24 gallon nano, about two weeks in.
Parameters :
1.024 SG
8.0 pH
Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate at 0
I run a single Koralia
I currently have the usual CUC; a damsel and a small clown
I've also started several small polyp clusters and a torch.
Was interested in getting either an emerald crab or a blue starfish (Linckia Laevigata). Any tips; or possibly another species that would not eat my polyps?

 

[ophiura]

YOur tank is much to young for a seastar...at least 6 months minimum. It is far too small for any reef safe star which nearly certainly will starve in 12 to 18 months. They can not be spot fed and need lots of LR. The blue Linckia needs at least 200lbs of rock in 150+ g.
The tiny ref Fromia is also not suitable. Many people will likely say it is ok, but at least ask if they have kept the star more than a year - you will often find they have not. These stars take a LONG time to starve with no signs of trouble before then.
The only suitable star is a brittle or serpentstar, not the green, as these can be spot fed.