Red Starfish

[dbelshe]

I took my wife to the LFS to get "food". Well while we were there we just had to look at the corals and such. My wife found a little red starfish with black dots on its back. Does anyone have any idea what kind it is? I will try to post pics tomorrow. Also, while at the LFS I just had to have a 5" Blue Crocea clam. Will post pics tomorrow as well. Anyway good night ya'll.

[Shooter9er]

Just make sure that the starfish is not of the knobby variety. The knobby starfish feed on clams. I learned that the hard way with my African starfish and my crocea.

[dbelshe]

As promised, here are the pics of the starfish and new clam

[dbelshe]

Sorry dont know how to post multiple pics yet.

[Rick O]

Originally posted by dbelshe
Does anyone have any idea what kind it is?

Looks like Fromia. Nice addition. They will stay out in the open much of the time.

[dbelshe]

Cool, thanks Rick. Hope everyone has a great Memorial Day!

[podman]

yeah i think it is a fromellia too.

where did you get it?

i have had a couple and won't buy them again until someone can identify what they eat and tell me how to target feed them.

i will bet yours will starve within a year. they begin to waste away at a tip and over the period of a couple weeks they slowly disappear.
Dr Ron Shimek says these starfish have a lifespan that is quite longer than ours, so i know it isn't old age that they are dying from.

they are really cool though. hope you are more successful than the rest who have attempted them.

[chewie]

I used to have a Fromia Elegans too, Yes it starved after about 6 months. I miss the little guy but I probably won't be buying another for a few more years when my tank might have enough of a food supply to keep one thriving.

IME these stars eat sponges and algea films thropughout the rock work and on the glass too.

After the star wasted away I noticed there weren't any "q-tip" type sponges left. After a year and a half, I'm getting these sponges everywhere (you should see my sump) so maybe in time I could try another one, but I don't know.

RickO,

You've had your star for awhile now right? How is yours?

[dbelshe]

Podman, I got it at Advanced Aquarium here in Salem. Hopefully I can keep him alive.