Starfish - Which ones?

[sw65galma]

Do you have any problems with different types of shrimp together?

Mainly I was thinking of the cleaners and pepermint?

I have peppermint and would like to get a few cleaners..

 

[austinsdad]

I've got 4 peppermint, 3 blood red, 5 cleaners, and a pistol with no problems at all in a 75 gallon. That along with 2 brittles and 2 emeralds (just noticed yur inventory above)

 

[sw65galma]

Thanks..

Think i'll be making a trip to the lfs

 

[quarryshark]

Actually my 2 Fire Shrimp and my 2 Cleaners have been living in near proximity since I moved my rock around. They seen to get along fine.

 

[Shultz]

My poor little peppermint has spent the whole day tucked up behind one of my PH's, I think the gramma keeps hassling him

I'm gonna get a couple more shrimps (cleaner this time) at the end of the week, if it chases those as well then he'll be on his way back to the LFS!!

Cheers Shelton.

 

[Foible]

I've got a blue linkia. Very easy to keep. Also I have one black/brown brittle star and one serpent star. Not to mention dozens of the mini brittle stars and the white micro sea stars.

I do like the serpent best personality wise. He's very interactive. The blue linkia is extremely vivid and pretty and stays out in view nearly 100% of the time. The brittle star and the mini stars are all workhorses. They scavenge the bejesus out of the tank.

 

[sw65galma]

What do you feed your brittle stars?

Do do yo just let the forage for food?

 

[austinsdad]

My brittles eat whatever flake, pellets, or frozen Formula 1 or 2 they can get as I feed the fish. Nothing special. They're good foragers. I've seen them reach under rocks or in crevices for food. As you feed the fish, they will eat.

 

[steve-s]

As you feed the fish, they will eat.

And once the fish are done, they will eat again

Cheers
Steve

 

[Foible]

They eat anything and everything. They usually scavenge but sometimes I target feed them just for fun. The brittles and the serpent can really haul tentacles.

The linkia moves like paint drying in comparison. I have no idea what he eats to be perfectly honest. I think maybe he eats film algae. I've had him about 6 months and he's gotten bigger so he is eating something.

 

[Shultz]

I have just read on the Dr foster & smith site that starfish should not be subjected to air?

I can see how the LFS can get one into a bag without doing so, but how am I to do it my end without putting the LFS water in my tank???

Might be a stupid question that I can't see the answer right in front of my eyes?

Cheers Shelton.

 

[Atari]

It's impossible to do it without letting some get in, but after a 6 to 8 hour acclimation the water is reasonably diluted so it's not too bad.

 

[steve-s]

I have just read on the Dr foster & smith site that starfish should not be subjected to air?

It's a good practice not to expose them to air or touch them with bare hands. It greatly depends on the type of star but no reason not to do the same for all.

I can see how the LFS can get one into a bag without doing so, but how am I to do it my end without putting the LFS water in my tank?

It's somewhat unavoidable really. If you keep in mind that through drip acclimation over several hours time, the bag should be emptied a couple of times at least to make room for new water. When all is said and done, a majority should be primarily your tanks water and not the LFS's. Except for the possibility of parasite transmission (which is very very rare) you won't have an issues with submerging the bag in the main display when releasing the star. If purchasing in person, the easiest way to avoid parasite transmission is to buy from fishless invert only tanks.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Shultz]

Thanks to the both you, 6 to 8 hour acclimate! that long with a star?

I can see what you mean about the water though after that amount of time, now the dilemour, I can get one from clams.co.uk for £8.99 though I don't know what they are kept with (though I suppose I could email!) or £15.99 from the LFS knowing he does keep them in with just corals & shrimps....

Cheers Shelton.

 

[Shultz]

Another thought about a star 6-8 hour acclimate, would it need an airstone in the bag, I presume it needs a certain amount of oxygen? or would it get enough from the tank water being dripped in?

Cheers Shelton.

 

[steve-s]

As long as the container being dripped into is open, it should be sufficient. The main concern with a long drip acclimation is keeping the temp stable. If you have a sump where the bag can be clipped to the side and maintain the temp it's much easier.Without it you will need to refloat the bag every so often to keep the temp from dropping too much.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Shultz]

What I have done so far with new animals is clip the bag floating in the top of the tank, given it 30 mins for the temp to equal, then taken a beaker of tank water placed that up higher on the open tank lid & then run a drip line from that into the bag

Then every 30-45mins tipped some of the water out of the bag down the drain (via a container of course!) & just topped the beaker up as nessasary

Is this OK?

Cheers Shelton.

 

[Atari]

The general issue with that is (obviously) make sure the bag is very secure so it doesn't get dragged in with the current.

But in this case, because it's such a long acclimation, you might not want to do it that way since it would mean having your lights off for what would pretty much be most of the day.

 

[Shultz]

My tank lid is custom built by my father-in-law & has a piano hinge all the way down the centre so I can fold either the front half onto the back or viceaversa, the T5 is mounted in the back half (with another going in the front once I start looking to corals) with the moonlights sitting in the middle, thus I don't need to turn the lights off/remove the lid to do the drip.

There is a little heat coming off them so do you think its bad from that point of view?

I'll post some pics in my gallery a little later when I get time

Cheers Shelton.

 

[Atari]

Yeah the temp would be a problem over several hours. Plus the Brittle stars are mostly nocturnal so they probably wouldn't appreciate being stuck right under the lighting like that

Generally speaking though, you should always turn off the lights when acclimating, and for a further couple hours after releasing. It will stress out fish and burn corals.