Looking for info on this cool starfish...

[ScubaSteve]

This isn't my usual style but yesterday I bought a starfish with only an approximate guess on the species and a gut feeling. Normally I research the heck out of things before they go in my tank but this guy was too cool to pass up and, well, I'm up for a little challenge (see pics from net below).

I've so far been able to ID it as Neoferdina sp., most likely N. offreti. Turns out they're fairly uncommon and more so in the aquarium trade, hence the lack of information readily available. I'm trying to find info on this guy as to his behavior and diet. I'm expecting someone to come back saying "Will eat every living thing in your tank" but based on his physical traits I have a feeling that he'll be somewhat similar to Fromia sp.

Anyone out there able to give a hand on this one?

[ALang]

Cute!

[ScubaSteve]

Hehehehe... That it is. But so were those fuzzy little guys in the movie 'Gremlins' and, well, we saw how well that panned out for them. I've long learned that cute and colorful does not imply reef safe, in fact the opposite. We'll have to see whether this guy is "I'm gonna eat all your coral" cute or not.

[Delphinus]

You've probably already seen this but this photo too good not to share. 2rd or 3rd hit hit after googling your guess at a species came up with this..



FWIW, I always thought stars fit into two categories: 1) We don't know what they eat but presume it's bacteria, slime, or algal films, or, 2) They're predatory.

Those in category 1 are things like Fromia, Linckia, etc. and amongt those, some will adapt to other forms of nutrition and do OK in tanks, and some won't. Those in category 2 are things like chocolate chip stars, and I thought that the little bumps in the texture were artifacts of their muscles used to help capture or ingest their prey.

So my guess is your corals are safe since we don't see the tell tale marks of it being a predatory star ... and that whether it adapts long-term to captivity is a guess but should theoretically stand the same changes of survival as Linckia's and Fromia's.

But just my guess.

[Myka]

I think you're bang on Tony. Although, I see this starfish's chance of survival rather more bleak than Tony suggests.

[toytech]

Very nice looking star, i can understand why you bought it . Hope it turns out well for you .

[reeferious]

i want one like it where did you buy it from PLEASE

[ScubaSteve]

After looking into it more I think it's a Neoferdina glyptodisca... Eats detritus and small inverts aparently. So, I believe it's reef safe.

I got it from OA. They had a pair of them and still have one more. They think they're linkia, I knew otherwise.

Originally Posted by Myka

I think you're bang on Tony. Although, I see this starfish's chance of survival rather more bleak than Tony suggests.

I completely agree with you here. I think this guy is going to be a total crap shoot. He seems to be struggling a little bit but hasn't done the "I'm an unhappy starfish do I'm going to explode" thing yet, so that's a good sign. I figured he was super neat and rare and he was either doing to parish at the LFS or I was going to take him home, do my homework, figure out what he needs and see if I can achieve long term survival. It was scooting about this morning but has remained inthe same area and not travelled to far, which to my understanding, is a fairly common response from starfish in new aquariums.

[MMAX]

What did you pay for it if you don't mind me asking?

[Myka]

Originally Posted by ScubaSteve

I completely agree with you here. I think this guy is going to be a total crap shoot. [...] I figured he was super neat and rare and he was either doing to parish at the LFS or I was going to take him home, do my homework, figure out what he needs and see if I can achieve long term survival.

The trouble with that approach is that the LFS will bring more in because they sold. Maybe not this particular starfish as it may have been a mis-ID even from the supplier. When an LFS sells an animal quickly, they want to bring more of that animal in. I would rather see these animals die at the LFS because then the LFS wouldn't be so quick to want to order it again.

It takes a person trying to achieve success, though many more are sure to die in the process. People want to try to figure an animal out, but in the end they really don't provide anything special compared to the next Joe Reefer.

Originally Posted by reeferious

i want one like it where did you buy it from PLEASE

Please read this: Echinoderms in Aquaria by Ronald L. Shimek