Star fish

hooked · 01-27-2002, 10:03 PM

Hello,

I have been trying to find the right star fish to add to my tank. Anybody got some suggestions? I have some LR and a few fish. No soft coral yet, so I haven't been adding any supplements to my water. If I put star fish in tank will I need to use supplements? What do they eat? Any help would be great.

Doug1 · 01-27-2002, 10:18 PM

Well personally I like the green brittle stars but they get big and may eat fish if not target fed. The other brittle and serpents are shyer scavengers.
Chocolate chip stars are kewl but coral eaters

Some of the Linkias are kewl and fairly reef safe.
All sea stars ned to be slowly drip acclimated over several hrs. Do an archive search, there should be a few threads on the subject, HTH

Rick O · 01-27-2002, 11:19 PM

I think a Fromia is a great addition if you can find one.

Alice · 01-28-2002, 11:35 AM

I love my serpent stars. They are shy, usually venturing out only at feeding time but I kind of like the hidden little things in my tanks, makes it much more fun when they do make an appearance

I like handfeeding the serpents, they can really grab for the food!

Alice

hayday · 01-28-2002, 03:52 PM

i love my green brittle star. he is quite the character, but as doug pointed out, they can be problematic. i've personally had no troubles (yet, knock on wood) but your mileage may vary. the trick is to keep them well fed so they have no reason to go looking for food of their own.

from what i've read/learned, blue linkias and red fromias are pretty safe and easy to care for.

hth.

-hayday

reefguy · 01-28-2002, 11:40 PM

well, i have three brown brittle stars and i also concur...they are REALLY fun to feed and they are such pigs! LOL...i also have two sand sifting stars...they keep the top of my sand bed well mixed and it's really neat to see them "sink" into the sand bed before your eyes

hesaias · 01-29-2002, 12:26 AM

I like brittle stars and serpent stars, but I lack the spine to put one in my tank(just call me wuss)
I think a blue Linlia is the all around safest one. i love mine.
As said above, acclimate S-L-O-W-L-Y. They succumb to osmotic shock readily if not properly acclimated
HTH

Wrasse Man · 01-29-2002, 03:10 PM

The serpant/brittle are the best at feeding time when they are hungry. My yellow brittle and grey serpant will 'dance' on the front glass trying catch food. When they do that, it is time to thaw some shrimp for them. My black britle just hangs out under his rock and....I don't know what he does, but he does.

KingTor · 01-29-2002, 04:32 PM

just to add another vote: I'm a big fan of my feather star. it's a very different kind of star fish -- most casual observers of my tank think it's a plant -- but it is awesome. very entertaining to watch. it eats phytoplankton, and is pretty easy to feed. as with the other stars, it does take some extra care on acclimation.

Allyson · 01-29-2002, 04:47 PM

Ditto on the slow acclimation...in your search you'll find my thread about the demise of a brittle star. But the surviving one is doing great. Although he is shy...he's found a tunnel in the LR and and comes out only at feeding time. It's fun to watch him chow. I want to get one that stays more out in the open but need to work on my acclimation technique a little more.

Reefguy what is the proper name of the sand sifter....or is that it. So I can do some research.

Wrasse Man · 01-29-2002, 05:35 PM

Hey King, my basket stars are the same way! Nobody notices them until they unfurl their arms!

Homer · 01-29-2002, 06:27 PM

I vote for a red fromia. I got one from PA about three months ago after doing much research and reading. He is only about one inch across. I don't have to feed him. He stays out in the light. He is a very bright orangish red color.

Homer

jjharrisx4 · 01-29-2002, 07:48 PM

Watch out for the green brittle stars....they are really efficient at catching your prized fish. I personally have a white sand sifting star and I love it. It is often right in the front of my sandbed, and my kids love to watch it. I feed nori, pellets, and sanjay mix so the star gets the leavings from the fish.

sally · 01-29-2002, 07:53 PM

Don't get a sand sifting starfish. Although they are cool to watch they should not be in reef tanks. They will eat all the life out of your sandbed and then slowly starve to death. They will not eat prepared foods. Also, don't get a brittle star (green or brown) if you ever want a bottom dwelling fish like a jawfish or a goby.

hayday · 01-29-2002, 10:05 PM

just a quick question for those who seem convinced that green brittle stars eat other fish...

did you hear this as urban legend or experience it for yourself?

i don't mean for that to sound like a flame. honest.

i just wonder if these guys truly deserve their reputations.

in my personal experience, i've frequently watched my watchman goby sitting on top of my green brittle star. i've witnessed no agression other than him picking up a hermit crab. and that's not to be confused with agression, because it's retribution.

is there anyone here who can, through personal experience, attribute the death of a fish to a green brittle star?

-hayday