Orange with Black Tip Fromia indica Survival Strategy

[livinlifeinBKK]

Alright so I have what I believe is a Fromia indica and I've had it for about 5 months. I understand these are usually short lived guys as are most stars but I'm going to do whatever I can to crack the code and figure out what they need to survive and not starve. The tank is a nano and was started with all live rock from the ocean which I think is why he's made it this far and continues to roam around the tank all over the rocks and glass. From what I've read their natural diet is largely a mystery but it is suspected they feed on biofilm and microbes however I also found mine on a dead fish but it's unclear what part of the fish he was trying to feed off (slime coat, carcass, etc.) I'd like to attempt to develop a tank geared towards supporting him since it's a nano. Currently it's a coral invert only but may add a couple small fish to make the ecosystem more natural.
I have a couple ideas to share but I'd like to hear from you guys first if you have any ideas.

Yes, I know they usually starve in captivity as most stars do.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

If they do in fact consume bacterial biofilm, then clearly I need to do whatever I can to maintain the bacterial diversity as well as possible. I believe that slightly elevated nitrates and very slightly elevated phosphates from higher feeding will promote some algal and bacterial growth on the live rocks but since I do have some SPS in the tank I'll need to be careful to monitor the levels and keep them under control. To do this I was considering carbon dosing with a product specially made for nano tanks. The corals will also appreciate the healthy population of bacterioplankton which will supplement their diet. I just have to find the balance between feeding and dosing. Not only will the fish be getting fed a little extra frozen foods (or I may start culturing Grindal worms again), but the star will have an alternative food supply to scavenge from after I remove the hitchhiker crabs currently in the tank.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Thoughts?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

I'd guess you're on a good track there. My thoughts on the subject are these:

First, I'd guess you'd want to let the tank get a little "dirtier" than normal tanks, which might not look super great (though you might not want to let it get too dirty, as that could potentially have bad health effects for the tank's inhabitants).

Second, the tank might still be too small to accommodate the amount of biofilm needed to support the star even if it's getting adequate nutrition from the biofilm in the tank.

Third, a high powered microscope could be very useful for determining what - if anything - the star is actually eating (you could check/scrape the rocks and examine it under the microscope to see what all is growing there, then check any rocks you see the star climb over to see what - if anything - has changed in a way that could indicate that it has been consumed).

Fourth, I'm curious what others have to say on all of this as well.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Love the innovative approach, by the way.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I'd guess you're on a good track there. My thoughts on the subject are these:

First, I'd guess you'd want to let the tank get a little "dirtier" than normal tanks, which might not look super great (though you might not want to let it get too dirty, as that could potentially have bad health effects for the tank's inhabitants).

Second, the tank might still be too small to accommodate the amount of biofilm needed to support the star even if it's getting adequate nutrition from the biofilm in the tank.

Third, a high powered microscope could be very useful for determining what - if anything - the star is actually eating (you could check/scrape the rocks and examine it under the microscope to see what all is growing there, then check any rocks you see the star climb over to see what - if anything - has changed in a way that could indicate that it has been consumed).

Fourth, I'm curious what others have to say on all of this as well.

Thanks for your ideas!...I've diving into marine microbiology books and although I don't expect to discover their exact food source through that reading it'll hopefully give me a better idea of the food web and maybe what type of microhabitat I need to promote to generate food for the star in the first place as I'm sure it's am intricate system...I'm really working to find exactly what nutrients are needed to support this biofilms growth and what may hinder it's growth as well...I think it's a worthy research project to pursue

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Love the innovative approach, by the way.

Another thought...maybe run the tank just a little warmer than most to promote bacterial growth (although I'm not sure how the corals would respond)

Surprised haven't gotten many comments on this thread!

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

@i cant think this is my current project...as we discussed in another thread they probably shouldn't be kept in aquariums generally but I'm going on 5 months with h and plan to do all I can to extend his life...I put some ideas together above as you can see... @A Young reefer if you have any ideas too lmk

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

It's fascinating what I've found so far! Apparently Proteobacteria (the most abundant free-swimming bacteria in the ocean if I'm not mistaken) can adhere to surfaces and create biofilms which other bacteria, diatoms, and other microfauna soon attach themselves to! This is very interesting because carbon dosing can greatly boost their populations which is something I do sometimes. Just maybe building a healthy population of Proteobacteria could serve as the cornerstone to the formation of the biofilm needed by some species of stars!

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Small correction: although the Proteobacteria can in fact form biofilm, I've been diving in deeper and found that there are species of benthic bacteria which form biofilms on the sea bottoms and reefs much more commonly which would be much more likely to serve as the food source for stars such as mine. Similarly to Proteobacteria however, they are heterotrophic and the bioavailability of DOC has been demonstrated to influence community composition in these biofilms and ultimately affect the uptake and utilization of other nutrients. This seems to suggest that carbon dosing may still remain a vital part of forming biofilm for my Fromia.

 

[i cant think]

@i cant think this is my current project...as we discussed in another thread they probably shouldn't be kept in aquariums generally but I'm going on 5 months with h and plan to do all I can to extend his life...I put some ideas together above as you can see... @A Young reefer if you have any ideas too lmk

I think you’ve got a solid plan and there aren’t too many flaws with it - if there are then you’ve either mentioned them or I can’t think of them.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I think you’ve got a solid plan and there aren’t too many flaws with it - if there are then you’ve either mentioned them or I can’t think of them.

I appreciate it...I don't know how difficult it's going to be to attempt to replicate his natural food source but I'm definitely gonna give it a shot! Took a lot of research to find some of that info...

 

[i cant think]

I appreciate it...I don't know how difficult it's going to be to attempt to replicate his natural food source but I'm definitely gonna give it a shot! Took a lot of research to find some of that info...

Fingers crossed, I’d also try keep algae growth for pods and other microorganisms that enjoy feeding on algae and breeding in it. Maybe some more wanted algae such as Kelp or Macroalgae would be best for SPS tanks.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Fingers crossed, I’d also try keep algae growth for pods and other microorganisms that enjoy feeding on algae and breeding in it. Maybe some more wanted algae such as Kelp or Macroalgae would be best for SPS tanks.

I'm gonna make sure I keep the tank as natural as possible so plenty of microfauna, keep a close eye on my nutrients for sure, and of course there's gonna be a little experimentation involved to try to establish as natural a microbiome as I can to support his nutritional needs

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Very hard to believe he's not getting plenty of nutrition from the oyster he's been on top of eating for the past 2 hours or so but I'll continue my plan to try to provide him with his natural diet...
Anyone have any helpful ideas for this little project of mine feel free to offer suggestions!

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

He finished his dinner...

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Hey guys, wanted to give a report on my Fromia star...he seems to be pretty active moving around and he doesn't appear to have much biofouling in my opinion which is a positive thing! Plus I'm pretty sure he had himself a good meal that was either a sponge or type of marine fungi. Just wanted to give you guys an update!!

 

[i cant think]

Hey guys, wanted to give a report on my Fromia star...he seems to be pretty active moving around and he doesn't appear to have much biofouling in my opinion which is a positive thing! Plus I'm pretty sure he had himself a good meal that was either a sponge or type of marine fungi. Just wanted to give you guys an update!!

Great to hear he’s doing fine still!

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Great to hear he’s doing fine still!

Thanks! I do think the correct term is "fine" and not necessarily"great" though...I'm not sure why but he tends to climb the side of the tank to the surface which just seems a little strange. I have no idea why he does that.

 

[i cant think]

Thanks! I do think the correct term is "fine" and not necessarily"great" though...I'm not sure why but he tends to climb the side of the tank to the surface which just seems a little strange. I have no idea why he does that.

That may be where all the microorganisms collect which could be why he goes to the top.