Observational Study of Fromia Starfish Species Fromia indica, Fromia milliporella, Fromia pacifica

[livinlifeinBKK]

Would there be any way for you to send me a link to the article. I also share an interest for these echinoderms, I hope you find a successful way to keep these creatures long term in captivity.

You can buy a digital copy of the issue for only $5...i really can't discuss in too much detail what's in the article due to the rules/regulations of the publication unfortunately...i can give you the link if you want

 

[Kapachuka3]

You can buy a digital copy of the issue for only $5...i really can't discuss in too much detail what's in the article due to the rules/regulations of the publication unfortunately...i can give you the link if you want

sounds good, the link would be awesome thanks.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

sounds good, the link would be awesome thanks.

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Just scroll down to the link that'll take you to either the app store or Google play store and click...there are options for a full subscription but also individual issues are for sale which is awesome!

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

@Kapachuka3 after reading if you have any questions feel free to DM me!

 

[Neptune 555]

So I feed fresh oysters to my tank weekly... BUT how do I get my starfish to eat it? I never see him on the shells that I leave in my tank? my blue tang, pygmy angels, and cleaner shrimps devour the food left in the shells before my starfish can get to it?

thanks!

 

[EricR]

So I feed fresh oysters to my tank weekly... BUT how do I get my starfish to eat it? I never see him on the shells that I leave in my tank? my blue tang, pygmy angels, and cleaner shrimps devour the food left in the shells before my starfish can get to it?

thanks!

Good question.
I know the OP and others will have suggestions.

Personally, I gave up trying to supplemental/target feed my fromia (indica) after the first few weeks since it never worked for me.
At 7 months, still looking healthy just from whatever it gets but who knows?

*Chocolate chip star (not reef safe) that I had for a couple of years before corals would aggressively attack pretty much any food I gave it but that's a different story

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

So I feed fresh oysters to my tank weekly... BUT how do I get my starfish to eat it? I never see him on the shells that I leave in my tank? my blue tang, pygmy angels, and cleaner shrimps devour the food left in the shells before my starfish can get to it?

thanks!

First off, they need supplemental feedings more frequently than weekly but to the main point...have you tried feeding after lights out? Also, the fish's olfactory reception is likely much faster than that of the starfish and regardless they can move to the food and eat it much more quickly. I would recommend an isolation box for supplemental feedings if you are really serious about keeping him healthy and protecting the food from other inhabitants.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Furthermore, placing one of the starfish's arms over the food will help greatly.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Btw, Fromia indica starfish are reef safe but don't mix them with Scolys for whatever reason...they like Scoly meat...not sure why...maybe the biofilm on Scolys is similar to their natural biofilm... luckily i noticed before too mich tissue damage had occured...i guess this is proof they can digest meaty foods such as oysters though...

 

[Kasrift]

Btw, Fromia indica starfish are reef safe but don't mix them with Scolys for whatever reason...they like Scoly meat...not sure why...maybe the biofilm on Scolys is similar to their natural biofilm... luckily i noticed before too mich tissue damage had occured...i guess this is proof they can digest meaty foods such as oysters though...

This is very very very interesting to me. For whatever reason, I've had multiple mini scolies die, recede, one even had chunks of it's flesh eaten in one night and I've never figured out why. I have a fromia milleporella, but maybe it is the same... My starfish just passed 6 months of being in my tank. Not a monumental time, but guess it is eating something. I've had four mini scolies bite it in that time frame, no other losses in a very packed tank.

 

[Kasrift]

Btw, Fromia indica starfish are reef safe but don't mix them with Scolys for whatever reason...they like Scoly meat...not sure why...maybe the biofilm on Scolys is similar to their natural biofilm... luckily i noticed before too mich tissue damage had occured...i guess this is proof they can digest meaty foods such as oysters though...

I had responded to your post about which mini scolies to get, so sad to hear those went downhill. Really has me thinking of placing my last remaining scoly in a mushroom cage.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

This is very very very interesting to me. For whatever reason, I've had multiple mini scolies die, recede, one even had chunks of it's flesh eaten in one night and I've never figured out why. I have a fromia milleporella, but maybe it is the same... My starfish just passed 6 months of being in my tank. Not a monumental time, but guess it is eating something. I've had four mini scolies bite it in that time frame, no other losses in a very packed tank.

Wow that's amazing that you had the same experience with the same starfish genus and coral! Maybe this could be a useful clue into their diet...analyzing the biofilm on a Scoly would be simpler than ocean substrate since corals maintain their microbiome (although it can shift to some degree)

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I had responded to your post about which mini scolies to get, so sad to hear those went downhill. Really has me thinking of placing my last remaining scoly in a mushroom cage.

No, i got to them quickly enough and they're doing just fine recovering...fully extended tentacles for feeding at night and I've been spot feeding. All except for the one i got for free which was already injured...it hasn't died yet though. The green and purple scoly is actually doing great! No starfish attacks on it.

 

[Kasrift]

No, i got to them quickly enough and they're doing just fine recovering...fully extended tentacles for feeding at night and I've been spot feeding. All except for the one i got for free which was already injured...it hasn't died yet though. The green and purple scoly is actually doing great! No starfish attacks on it.

Good to hear. I couldn't figure out for the life of me why some died. I had one of them for 8 months prior to the starfish addition. I didn't correlate them since I never saw the starfish on this particular mini scoly, but had two go down before that one. I do see the starfish on them since they are on the low rock area and starfish seem to cling to those structures the most.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Good to hear. I couldn't figure out for the life of me why some died. I had one of them for 8 months prior to the starfish addition. I didn't correlate them since I never saw the starfish on this particular mini scoly, but had two go down before that one. I do see the starfish on them since they are on the low rock area and starfish seem to cling to those structures the most.

They probably fed on them at night as well

 

[Neptune 555]

Anyone in this thread who does target feed their starfish? I like the idea of putting them in an acclimation box together food and star fish... but does moving catching the starfish stress them out? I could easily move him when he is on the glass... othertimes he is inside the rock work... I would not safely be able to grab him. We are on 2+ months...

BTW - I think he eats the algae on the glass...b/c I often find him at the very top of the glass and one of his arms out of hte water feeding on the algae line... That can be the only reason he is so high on the glass.

Thanks!! Photos/videos of spot feeding appreciated!

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

@Neptune 555 thanks for reading!

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Oh and just so everyone knows, what @Neptune 555 wrote isn't what the article says...not really sure what the point of his post was...i think he just wanted a reaction...

 

[Neptune 555]

First off, they need supplemental feedings more frequently than weekly but to the main point...have you tried feeding after lights out? Also, the fish's olfactory reception is likely much faster than that of the starfish and regardless they can move to the food and eat it much more quickly. I would recommend an isolation box for supplemental feedings if you are really serious about keeping him healthy and protecting the food from other inhabitants.

I was asking about target feeding based on this response? Feeding them in an isolation box?

 

[Neptune 555]

Can you share the issue number and title of the article? I am trying to do a single Luce se but don’t see your article?