Feather Starfish?

[Masterplan75]

i was just wondering if anyone knew anything about this beautiful starfish.. i have only seen 2 one at a local pet store and another one that my friend has bought. i dont plan on getting one anytime soon. not until i understand a lot more about my tank and stuff. but was just curious as to if anyone might know how to feed one of these? i have heard that they are almost impossible to keep alive longer than 7 months.. my friends has been alive 3 months now and the guy i visited at the store was actually in a magazine for having the longest living one which i think was about 8 months. but nobody seems to know how to feed it or what it eats... anyways just curious.. any information would be cool thanks =)

L

 

[roka64]

It eats microscopic plankton.
Crinoid Feather Sea Star (Himerometra sp.)

 

[Masterplan75]

has anyone here tried to raise or care for one of these types of starfish?

 

[Devilishturtles]

i have heard that they are almost impossible to keep alive longer than 7 months.. my friends has been alive 3 months now and the guy i visited at the store was actually in a magazine for having the longest living one which i think was about 8 months. but nobody seems to know how to feed it or what it eats...

*sighs*

I'm going to get on my soapbox for a just a minute.

Collecting of this starfish should stop. Why? Because for the one that is surviving (for now) at your fish store, I'm guessing around 200 or 300 died. They are being mass collected by people and only a very few make it to captivity, and even then, they only live for a few days, weeks, or months. This fact alone, in my opinion, is enough to not have one in my tank. In the wild, they live for years and years.

They are also a very deep water species, they simply aren't adapt to living at the light levels, pressures, and low food environments that people put them in.

I would not encourage more collection of these beautiful creatures by buying one, but that is just my opinion.

Ok, stepping off the soapbox.

 

[melosu58]

Very well said Lindsay.

 

[Masterplan75]

thanks for the opinion and i do agree if something isnt made to live in a tank then it shoudlnt be kept... if we want to see them we should get a scuba set and go visit them in their natural enviroment... i didnt mean to step on anyone's toes as i didnt know that they were dying in masses like you spoke..

sorry =\

 

[Devilishturtles]

No problem.

You weren't stepping on toes, I just hate when stores try and sell them to people without explaining all the facts about the species. If you are interested, do a good search. There are a lot of good articles about collection this the feather and basket starfish that are quite eye opening.

 

[Masterplan75]

thanks... will do =).. i've also heard that mandarin gobies are on the red list =\ and shouldnt be bought as well.. would you by chance know if this is true also?

 

[Dave66]

thanks... will do =).. i've also heard that mandarin gobies are on the red list =\ and shouldnt be bought as well.. would you by chance know if this is true also?

In general, yes. Mandarin gobies are a challenging species, demanding large, well-established tanks with live rock and live sand. The species, which exists in harems in nature, eats only micro-crustaceans, like copepods. One will quickly denude the average reef tank of suitable food for it, then starve to death. Only one in a hundred MAY learn to eat prepared foods, but its not worth the risk.
The key to keeping Mandarin gobies is to use multiple refugiums with the tank to continually replace their food source. I keep a group of eight (one male, seven females) in a large reef tank (a 350). The sump is a 90-gallon refugium, and there are four hang-on models on the back. That group of gobies has been with me a bit over 3 years. Funny little guys.
Now if someone could just figure out how to captive breed Moorish Idols. . .
Martin Moe, can you hear me?

Dave

 

[Masterplan75]

wow in due time i can only hope to have a tank that big!! mandarins i think are very pretty... but i am far from trying to attempt to take care of one.. as of now i'm just sticking with the easy to take care of hardy / resilient fish lol.. thanks for the info Dave66

 

[melosu58]

I do agree with Dave but I would suggest that before you get one I would make the LFS show you that it is eating. They can be trained to eat prepared foods but make the LFS do it.