Best starfish for my tank

[Christine22780]

I have a 50gal . with 4 small fish that seem to not stay on the bottom very much.. I have afew snails and crabs... Would the starfish eat them? My tanks been going since August is that enough time for the sand to buildup food for him? Do you feed a starfish anything special or does it just eat whats in the tank?

 

[roka64]

Check here:
Starfish: Saltwater Sea Stars, Brittle Starfish and Red Sea Star
Get some ideas and post back. Your questions a very openended so it will be hard to answer them, since different stars have different requirements.
One suggestion, for newer tanks, don't look at the sand sifting star.

 

[Christine22780]

I like the brittle star. I also liked to choc. chip but heard they may eat smaller fish more..

 

[melosu58]

I like the brittle star. I also liked to choc. chip but heard they may eat smaller fish more..

You dont have to worry about them catching fish. If a CC star can catch a fish then the fish was already dead. Now they are not reef friendly and will eat several corals. So if you have any corals then the CC star is out of the question.

 

[Innovator]

I prefer serpent stars if any.

 

[Christine22780]

Will these starfish eat crabs or snails?
Ive never had a starfish.... Just wondering which will better suit the tank.
Brittle or Choc. Chip it is. If anyone has a suggestion on which and why please reply! Thankyou

 

[Innovator]

Brittle's are known fish eaters along with mobile invertebrates (snails, hermits, shrimp, etc). Chocolate chip stars will consume clams, mobile invertebrates, and sessile invertebrates.

Serpent's tend to be toned down versions of brittle's ime, but always possible in hunting down mobile invertebrates.

 

[Christine22780]

Does anyone have any luck having a starfish and snails and crabs? Sounds like if I buy one they will eat them all!

 

[roka64]

I have a brittle, but have no issues. I know it won't eat my pistol. I have seen it near the pistol's burrow and the pistol let it know who was boss, lol!
I guess the real questions is, do you want one that is visible or one that hides and you can only see it's legs?

 

[Christine22780]

I would like to see it. I know Choc. Chips are usually stuck to the glass in the petstores....Do brittles hide? They are good sandsifters right? Are Choc. Chips good sifters?

 

[roka64]

Neither are good sand sifter as far as I know.
If you want sifters, look a sand sifting gobies or a bunch of nassarius snails.

 

[melosu58]

I have a few linknia stars but they are rated as difficult and need a very established (mature) tank. You can see pics in my images.