Tentacled trailblazer in your tank: Have you ever kept a large starfish?

[anoldreefer]

stars, in my reef

 

[formallydehyde]

This is StarLA, she probably came in on some kelp. When I discovered her she maybe was the size of my pinky nail, now she is maybe 3 3/4" across.

She's beautiful! Any idea what kind of starfish she is?

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

She's beautiful! Any idea what kind of starfish she is?

It is a Bat Star. Common to the eastern Pacific, the colors range from digital desert camo to bright purple. Water temperatures, it is hypothesized affects the coloring. They are scavengers by nature.

 

[boacvh]

Love mine. This guy got the POTM a while ago!

 

[shcrimps]

currently one sand sifter
one slightly medium sides serpent star (i don’t know where it came from)
and a couple hundred small brittle stars all over the place
hopefully a bigger one soon to come

 

[Mr_Knightley]

I love true stars! I keep both biofilm eaters as well as carnivores, there's nothing more magical IMO.




I love starfish so much that I wrote an article about them... Hoping it has the desired effect and encouraged people to start keeping them as display animals, as opposed to having them as background pieces.

The Case for Carnivorous Starfish | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

For many decades, the quintessential Chocolate Chip Starfish, Protoreaster nodosus, has graced our FOWLR (fish only with live rock) tanks and refugiums with their magnificent spines and bright colors.

reefbuilders.com

 

[vlangel]

I have had long term success with chocolate chip starfish and many brittle starfish (even though they are not true starfish). I was always afraid to try a linka or other species.

 

[jabberwock]

Are these "large"?

 

[Joe.D]

Would love to have a starfish - just heard how delicate they are and how the end up starving to death in many tanks.

My display is 75 gallons. 2 years old. Mixed reef.

 

[sfin52]

Creeps

 

[sfin52]

 

[sfin52]

Adding creeps to the tank.

 

[kingranch2003]

I've had mine for a little while now. I laughed at him constantly for the first month I had him because he reminds me of a drunk frat boy.

 

[sfin52]

I've had mine for a little while now. I laughed at him constantly for the first month I had him because he reminds me of a drunk frat boy.

How long have you had tbat.

 

[pocketsand]

I would like to know how many have been able to keep fromia long term?

 

[kingranch2003]

How long have you had tbat.

Only about two months. He's really active for what my expectations were. I don't have much algae in my tank, but he will find it on the glass if I leave him a spot or if I can't reach some. The starfish is beautiful and hilarious. I highly recommend one in a nice mature reef tank.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I conducted an entire independent research study on the feeding of Fromia genus starfish. I published it in a magazine over a year ago.

 

[kingranch2003]

I conducted an entire independent research study on the feeding of Fromia genus starfish. I published it in a magazine over a year ago.

Would you happen to have a link to that by chance? I'd imagine that's really interesting to read.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Would you happen to have a link to that by chance? I'd imagine that's really interesting to read.

Its in UltraMarine Magazine Issue 98. Im not sure if they published it online as well, but you can find it on PocketMags and maybe a pdf online for free (not sure about the pdf). Theres a preview of the article on the front cover.

 

[kingranch2003]

Its in UltraMarine Magazine Issue 98. Im not sure if they published it online as well, but you can find it on PocketMags and maybe a pdf online for free (not sure about the pdf). Theres a preview of the article on the front cover.

Ok, great! I'm sure I can run that down. I'm a fan of hard copies and pdfs anyways. Do you have much experience with Linckia?