Starfish for reef?

[Mudzie]

What seems to be the easiest,safest star fish for reeftank, been researching bali red starfish i like the idea that they stay smaller and could possibly multiply.anyone have luck with these? I like the linkas but im not sure theyre very easy to keep. And one other thing im looking at is i dont want too much competition for liverock foraging as my flame spends alot of time on it..tank is 75 w/110# liverock set up for couple months but everything was transferd from 44gal.

[carey]

I can't say I;ve had any luck with starfish in my tank. It's kinda sad but they generally don't do very well in a home aquarium. I'm not so sure about the chocolate chip starfish, though not reef safe i have heard they do better in captivity.

[Mudzie]

Yea thats what im concerned about i would like one but dont like to put anything in tank to see it perish. I read the chocochips like to munch on corals,that wont work?

[carey]

Nah, the chocolate chip will eat your corals. It's just the most hardy or best kept starfish I've heard of so I mentioned it. I had a red sea star and he disinegrated slowly each leg at a time. It was horrible to watch. I won't be getting another for my reef tank most likely. I will however probably get some choclate chip ones for my 90g FOWLR.

Just a tough call on whether to gamble on one or not....I took the gamble and mine was dead within about 2 weeks...

[Mudzie]

Id like to know if anyone has info on the bali reds, i dont even know if they are availble locally here yet,buy have read some good write-ups on them.
One other thing, they say not to expose starfish to air at all when acclimating which to me seems to mean you are going to get some outside water in your tank???

[carey]

I acclimated over a long period of time so most of the water in my bucket was actually from my tank. That was the best way i could think of doing it.

[Kio707]

I have 3 starfish in my reef. Sand shifting (have a 5" dsb), red star fish, and a pink one with purple tips (beautiful colors). I acclimated them for 2 hrs, didn't let air hit them, and have had great success with them. Just keep up on your prams.

[austinsdad]

I like and had great luck with a greyish brittle I had. Very mild and would take food from my hand. Had him for six years. Also had a reddish looking serpant star that did well in the same 155g tank. Bothe brittles and serpents have decent life expectancy from my experience. Hardy too. I've never heard of sand sifters living very long at all.

Stay away from the big green brittles. They get HUGE and I've heard can be aggressive.

[Kio707]

+1 I have serpents, too. Very hardy and my 1st starfish.

[Mudzie]

I think the serpents are cool looking starfish & i have been thinking about one but it seems they get pretty big and i was wondering if they move around knocking corals over or any trouble like that ?? What about open tanktop??

[Kio707]

They are gentle. Mine is about 10" tip to tip. Stays under the rocks until it feeds. Never had an issue. Even climbs on the hammer coral without hurting it.

[austinsdad]

It will not climp out of the tank. Ever. You may be thinking of the octopus.

[Mudzie]

Thats good, i havent had one before it just looks like they could climb right out if they wanted to?& they dont stalk any live fish or shrimp?

[Kio707]

Nope. Very quit and cool creators.

[zacheyp]

What is min tank size for a seapernt?

[Kio707]

They get over a foot...They are hardy Zacheyp, but in a 29... It'll take up a lot of room... I'd rather you got one of them instead of another star. It'll take a lot more in an unestablished tank.

[zacheyp]

One of what?

[Kio707]

Serpent star.

[zacheyp]

So in a 20 long you would get 1 or could I get the Sri lankian star?

[Kio707]

No. Serpent for now. Your tank is not established enough for any other star. You will kill it.