Starfish / Sea Star ID help needed

[MiddletonMark]

Hi, I went to a local LFS last night ... and couldn't help but come home with a pair of sea stars ... both which demonstrate good health - and I'd like to add to one of my reef tanks.

Did a very very slow acclimatization, and adding them to my refugium [where I can get them out!] before just dumping in my tank.

Can you help ID them? Couldn't find them in any of my books ... and I don't want to add them to a tank where there might be a problem [one of my tanks houses clams ... and while I like the stars, no risking the clams!].

ID, info ... all would be needed.

Not sure if they'll just hide in the rocks and nearly never be seen ... but I've always read/heard they're good detritus eaters ... and I guess I broke down and couldn't pass them by.

Anyway - THANK YOU!

mark

[MiddletonMark]

And #2

[Spanky]

Mark

Ophioderma appressum and Ophioderma cinereum. They are both opportunistic feeders.

[MiddletonMark]

Meaning they might opportunistically eat my clam?

Or just my fish ...

Or likely neither?

Hmmm ... maybe they're meant for my refugium ....

Time to go hit up google - thanks for the names!

[Spanky]

They shouldn't bother the clams. They would steal food from a coral or anemone and would try to catch any slow fish or inverts.

Ophiocoma echinata is the detritus eater.

[MiddletonMark]

Looks like I got some more research to do on inverts ... but got some great reading in the last half hour off those names

Thanks!

And sorry for making you answer in two places

[Spanky]

LOL I'm having coffee and doing some "work" avoiding right now.

[tangcrazy]

The second one is sometimes called a chocolate brittle star, and you do not want it in a ref tank, I repeat you do not want it in a reef tank, it will eat corals especially button polyps and soft corals, I have heard nothing but bad things about chocolates.

[icebear]

as long as there's no corals in there he'd be safe in the sump, right?

very cool looking stars....

[MiddletonMark]

I think you're thinking about the `chocolate chip' star, which is normally not considered reef safe.

This is normally called the harlequin star from what I've read now [browsed the LFS bookshelves and the net] ... and while no one claims it would never do the slightest harm ... from what I've read is seems somewhat safe.
Probably won't go after my clams ... and if it hassles the zo's in my SPS tank I'll just have to move them across the room to the softie tank.