Starchoice....
 

:biggrin:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/bhadford1...SC00004_rs.JPG

Wow, does that ever look awesome.

I forgot he likes these OSI stick ons so much.

He is a detritus, algae eater, and if you ever see them buy six..... :razz: :lol:

Where did you find this one, and how much was it?

Nice colour...

About three years ago...from saltwaterfantasies
.com.

I've talked to him several times since, but he isn't getting them in his shipments. In some intensive starfish research I did looking for something else....I actually came across these as "common" starfish....

I am so worried about losing my last specimen, I said, Barry, can we cut it in two..... :idea:

So.....call to the retailers...these are superb reefsafe starfish. With clams or whatever....

Starfish
 

What kind of starfish is it ?

What are OSI stick-ons and where do you get them ?

Got a picture from the top? Maybe we can id it. Do you know which region it came from? eg: Indo, Red sea,etc?

It is an orange knobby starfish. FFE used to sell them alternately with fromia stars in a reef cleanup package.

I've found several references to the star, but never a species name.

They are stick-on spirulina tabs, lots of algae eating fish love them, angels especially. I'm having trouble getting them locally, and have mailordered them in the past from various places.

Van, I'm pretty sure he said Indo.

http://www.members.shaw.ca/bhadford1/orangeknobtop.jpg

Is this the same one? (From seasky.org)

If it is this common, perhaps someone could get some in for us.
Maybe that new guy off Edmonton Trail...

Well, over time, and a lot of enquiries, it was pretty much established that this was not a fromia species, at least from what people told me.

However, they are supposed to be just as good :biggrin: , I'd be interested in trying one anyway.

P.S. The lure of the orange knobby is it actually eats detritrus from inside the holes in the rock.

mmmmmm....deeeetriiiiitus......... :razz:

Hey I think I found it in my Inverts book by Julian Sprung. Theres a pic of one that looks just like it. Echinaster echinophorus from the carribean?? Eats sponges, microalgae. I'll email the page to you Em.

C:)

I pulled the echinaster thing a while back. someone told me they wouldn't be collected for our area.

The echinaster has much longer arms.

keep looking please :cool:

aww nuts

thats the only thing remotely close in my book

BTW, I have tons of sponges. It doesn't eat sponge.

Anything really worth having isn't easy.... :lol: I'm gonna email the guy one more time. I don't know how conversant he is with his suppliers...

nice star, but how many channels does it give you?

The too good to be true starfish
 

if you find anything out on its name and it being shipped please lets us coast guys know. I would be most interested in purchasing one. Or two.

George Muller

I think I saw marinedepotlive.com was selling them as potentially part of a cleaner crew, you'd get an orange knobby OR a red fromia. But alas, still no latin name for the orange knobby..
http://www.marinedepotlive.com/tccb304.html

Actually, I keep finding several pages with this starfish pictured with pleas of "If anyone knows the latin name of this starfish please let us know .... "

Would this be worthwhile posing the ID question to say, Dr. Ron?

I am wondering if there is a different definition of Detritus than the one the Oxford dictionary uses. It says that detritus is matter formed by detrition such as gravel, silt, debris. Detrition is defined as wearing away by rubbing. .
Then again Oxford is Brtish so it might have a different meaning than the American dictionaries. :question: :question: :confused:

Of course there is, Bob. It's the one familiar to most of us, commonly accepted in our community as meaning:

"Accumulated material; debris."

It is widely accepted that the term refers to the gunk that our cleaners clean. You didn't know this??

Or just bored again...

AJ- couldn't you tell?? :mrgreen:
He's just bored! :rolleyes: Either that or bragging...

I'd have to say Christyf5 got it right=Echinaster echinophorus.

It has very little resemblance to any Fromia stars. I haven't seen the sprung picture but it is identical to a few found elsewhere.

Per Fossa/Nilsen:
They say it is a Caribean species reaching 7cm
"Feeds primarily on detritus and microscopic invertabrates,possibly also on algae.Will often not accept substitute foods."
Well you've obviously found the right substitute!

They go on to say it is mainly a shallow species ranging from Coral rubble/Reef/and Mangrove areas.
Fairly hardy once adapted to conditions.
As with many inverts they say it doesn't appear to be a problem with corals and inverts but it cannot be totally trusted.

This seems to coincide with the behaviour of yours quite well. References elsewhere suggests that this species or some of it's close relatives are attracted to light. Do you find yours is more active in the day?

Anyways you are lucky to have it in your tank.

I guess I was just moved to see if the dictionary gave the same meaning as we do. The dictionary does not, so I am wondering if someone in the reefing community just invented that meaning, and we all came to accept it as being correct? Or if there is another deeper meaning. As you know I am always curious about such things. :question:

And yes Jeanna, it seemed like a perfectly legitimate question to me. I was not in any way bragging. I of course do not need to defend myself to you. You are more than welcome to think as you wish. But be so kind as to keep it a thought,.

Sheesh Bob, I quoted another definition... :rolleyes:
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=detritus
While the dictionaries do give more than one definition, the common understanding here is straightforward enough.

I sure hope we can find a good source for these beautiful starfish.

Did I mention that orange is my favourite colour? Mmmm....

So Bob, what kind of meaning do you think we are giving the word "detritus"??

Buy the Oxford Science Dictionary...you'll love it...it's much more applicable to the hobby..... :biggrin: Yes, detritus is in there.....just as we know it and love it ! But I'm not typing it out....... :razz:

I always felt we were calling waste produced by the animals in our tanks as detritus, which seems to be somewhat different than the dictionary meaning.

Yes Van,

I thought echinaster was the closest choice when I first got it. I have the baensch atlases. However, the pic is not really anywhere close. Nor any of the online echinaster pics. :confused: Sounds for sure like a similar type starfish tho.

The echinaster in the Baensch atlas is called a red starfish as a common name (strangely enough)...and says they come from the Mediterranean and the Eastern Atlantic from Brittany to the Gold Coast. They are also much larger.

Anyway, the guy told me he has never been able to order them in. They come in accidentally with "red starfish"...... he orders.:rolleyes:

Doesn't matter, I just wanted to give a heads up, so everyone is out there watching for them :biggrin: Mystery stars !

Is it from that old musical where some lady sings to some bratty kids that if they don’t behave they will become “Supercalifradulousanxpaladetritus” or some thing like that.

Hey EmilyB I know the one you are thinking of and it's not the same one.
Someone has my copy of the Baesch atlas so I can't check that one.
If you have a Modern Coral Reef Aquarim Vol 4 you will see an almost exact picture of your starfish.
I also believe the one you are thinking of is a sub-temperate species.
Even if you disagree with me, It is still in that family. It has the small pores on it's body that are indictive of this family. If I had a scanner I'd send you what I have,but I don't. If you search on google images you'll see a picture of it. Unfortunately the website is no longer active.
I'll see if it can be ordered through any of the suppliers I know.

Van, I agree that it is likely "within the family" but I don't think it's Echinaster echinophorus either. (I had one of this guys for a time too.) Although it is the closest looking, there are subtle enough differences to cast a slight doubt in my mind.

I was pretty sure the supplier said he had gotten them in Indo orders. (Unless he was mistaken.) In case that helps the focus a bit...

It could be a Oreaster reticulatus

I will have to put my vote in for Echinaster (Othilia) echinophorus.

Is it possable to get a macro of one of the "arms" showing the skin texture and the spines a bit better Emily?

Steve

Thanks for sending me the pic you had Christy :biggrin:

That one is the closest in resemblance for sure.....I can't find anything additional on the species or more pics online - only reseach papers come up for that species...lol

Next time he's cruising, maybe I'll try to grab some macros. Pretty much doubt anyone carries them anyway. I should have bought a bunch then and tried to get them to breed.......doh...

Well it is definitely Not :Oreaster reticulatus
http://www.aquarium.net/0797/0797_2.shtml
http://www.seasky.org/reeflife/image...sh_cushion.jpg

By the way O. reticulatus (<50cm)is also a Caribean species, although the similiar Oreaster occidentalis renamed Pentaceraster cf. cumingi(<20cm) is an Hawaii to Eastern Pacific species. Neither resemble Emily's star. Both are fairly large when compared to Emily's.

I am curious EmilyB and Delphinus, What about this star do you feel is different? Delphinus you mentioned "subtle enough differences", what are they? I'm not trying to be argumentative, I view this as a debate.

As to the store owner saying he thinks it is Indo....I think that was just a standard reply. A majority of store owners/employees are anything but knowledgable, and before every store owner posts a reply to that....notice I said a "majority" not ALL. Anyways It may have come through an LA shipment from QM or a similiar supplier that consolidate shipments from around the world for their availability list.

Even though Emily is probably tired of this debate by now, I too would like to see a closer picture too.



I couldn't get the link to work sorry.
This is what I believe you have:
http://www.nhm.org/guana/bvi-invt/bv...-i03/06x32.htm

Just another possability, the Echinaster (othilia) sentus from Florida, has longer arms that are a little less spiny than thoes of the Echinaster (Othilia) echinophorus.

This is the Echinaster (Othilia) echinophorus.

http://members.shaw.ca/stircrazy/star.jpg

here is the one you posted (I just want to see them togeather.)
http://www.members.shaw.ca/bhadford1/orangeknobtop.jpg

Steve

Oh, just subtle differences I thought in the size of the "warts." When I was determined to find out what this was, when I was trying to find out, I had discounted that species ID, going on that it was "definitely from Indonesia." But you're right, it was probably a wholesaler who threw it in there. Who knows.

It looks way more like E. echinophorus than E. sentus though. But the more I see more pictures of Echinaster sp. in general the more I think the general shape, and descriptions of habits and behaviours, sound about right.

So EmilyB what do YOU think?

Well, the only other hint I have is that he said he ONLY gets them in when he does his indonesian order and orders red starfish like these below, and the little orange ones just show up mixed in...

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...=23&pCatId=578

Guess I could compare them if I could ever even FIND one.... :lol: