Starfish hanging out at surface?

[Acupunk]

Hello -- I have a 20 gallon long aquarium with approximately 20 lb live rock and 1 1/2 inches live sand. I have one small percula clownfish, a coral banded shrimp, and a chocolate chip star (newest addition). The tank has been set up for about 10 weeks and is filtered with an Emperor 280 HOB filter. Current water parameters are: ammonia - 0, nitrite - 0, nitrate - 10, pH - 8.2, temp 78.

I got the star fish about five days ago from Petco. It was drip acclimated to my water over the course of about 3 hours. Over the past few days the starfish has been active most of the time, cruising around the bottom of the tank, the rock, and tank walls, but it seems to return again and again to the surface where it flips one or two legs back along the surface of the water. Is this behavior normal, or is it an indication of a problem with my tank conditions?

Also, can anyone give me advice about the most appropriate diet for a starfish? The clown and the shrimp are currently eating New Life Spectrum Marine pellets.

Thanks!

[roka64]

They sometimes do that, nothing to worry about there. I would feed chopped meaty foods about once a week.

[new2betas]

yeah...that is something I remember mine doing as a teenager at the beach. They would come up to the top, fan out their arms and grasp anything that was on the water surface for food and it would eventually make it to their mouths..it was fun to watch!

[melosu58]

Mine does that too. Nothing unusual. He`s just looking for microbes at the top.

[catmel]

Let me know how he does with your shrimp. Ive seen pictures here of one eating a pepperment shrimp! My boyfriend really wants a choc chip starfish, but not if it'll eat the shrimp

[fijiwigi]

My starfish is at the top more than it is at the bottom I think they like the flow.

[land locked]

My star fish love Sinking Carnivore Pellets. They come crawling out of everywhere to get them. My crabs fight for them. I got them through foster and smith. I think they are Hakari but don't quote me on that. They are a pretty large pellet though, so if your guy is real small he may be sucking on it a while. My large red serpent star sucks it down whole in seconds.