Are there any reef safe starfish?

Delphinus · #1 02-12-2009, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whatigot

They all have relatively poor shelf like in captivity compared to the wild,

That's a really good way of putting it. I find there are two categories of star: 1) it's not really reef safe (of varying degrees depending on type); or, 2) we don't really know what it eats (so hit and miss whether they adapt to whatever slimes they find in our tanks). Think I've tried 3 blue linckia's ("linkia" 's ? I never know how to spell it) and one lived about 20 months, but the other two lived very short lives (a couple months tops). I tried a red Fromia, same thing, only a couple weeks, and a purple linkia (not a linkia per se but looks just like it, I forget the latin on it), same thing, only a couple months and then it literally tore itself apart and I had 5 individual arms crawling around the tank until they eventually disappeared.

I don't bother trying stars anymore.

It's funny, I've heard the claim now a couple times that pillow stars are safe. I don't know, I get the heebie-jeebies just looking at them, how can they possibly be reef-safe? I don't believe it. Guess it depends on one's definition of "reef safe"...

rstar · #2 02-12-2009, 04:39 PM

Ive had a blue linkia that has been living in my tank about 3 years now actually he is the longest lived thing in my tanks, survived 2 moves and a 2 week strech in rubermaid while i set up my 90!

hillegom · #3 02-12-2009, 04:49 PM

rstar, What do you feed your blue linkia. I have always liked them, but was never sure if I had the ability to keep them.
Thanks

rstar · #4 02-12-2009, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hillegom

rstar, What do you feed your blue linkia. I have always liked them, but was never sure if I had the ability to keep them.
Thanks

Ive never actually fed it anything special, just let it wander around and do its own thing!!

my2rotties · #5 02-12-2009, 05:28 PM

They are NOT reef safe. My bubble coral is half gone now that the halides ore on. It is a bare skeleton on the right hand side. SO far the left is out, but I am not sure if it can or will survive such a thing. I am not sure if it can regrow at where it was eaten or not, time will tell I guess.

The one ate a mushroom at $10 for the head and a ricordia head that was $20 the other got my bubble which was $80, pretty expensive lesson for me.

I am sicker the a dog today but a trip to the city to rehome them will be happening. I don't even want them in my sump since they might end up plugging a pump or something else in the near future. They were model citizens for about 5-6 weeks though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delphinus

That's a really good way of putting it. I find there are two categories of star: 1) it's not really reef safe (of varying degrees depending on type); or, 2) we don't really know what it eats (so hit and miss whether they adapt to whatever slimes they find in our tanks). Think I've tried 3 blue linckia's ("linkia" 's ? I never know how to spell it) and one lived about 20 months, but the other two lived very short lives (a couple months tops). I tried a red Fromia, same thing, only a couple weeks, and a purple linkia (not a linkia per se but looks just like it, I forget the latin on it), same thing, only a couple months and then it literally tore itself apart and I had 5 individual arms crawling around the tank until they eventually disappeared.

I don't bother trying stars anymore.

It's funny, I've heard the claim now a couple times that pillow stars are safe. I don't know, I get the heebie-jeebies just looking at them, how can they possibly be reef-safe? I don't believe it. Guess it depends on one's definition of "reef safe"...

Delphinus · #6 02-12-2009, 05:30 PM

Well, don't give up on the bubble until it's 100% gone. You'd be surprised what they can sometimes bounce back from.

my2rotties · #7 02-12-2009, 05:52 PM

I won't give up on it, but it sure used to be pretty

I guess it could have eaten my pink yuma, so all is not lost...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Well, don't give up on the bubble until it's 100% gone. You'd be surprised what they can sometimes bounce back from.

High tide · #8 02-13-2009, 03:09 PM

Most brittle and serpent stars are reef safe and extremely hardy(stay away from the green brittle star, it can eat fish). The white sand star(Archaster typicus) is also quite hardy and long lived, provided a large enough sand bed is given and regular feeding of fish. Proceed with caution in regards to Linkia and Fromia species, although reef safe, they are sensitive to water chemistry fluctuations, are often mishandled, poorly shipped, and usually starve over time in our aquariums. That being said, many people have enjoyed success with them. Picking healthy and well acclimated stars will reduce heartache and TAKE YOUR TIME when introducing them. A good rule of thumb is to not buy anything you haven't read about, if it's foreign to you...don't buy it!