star fish?

[hossfly]

how many of you are keeping starfish in a reef with success? I keep reading of certain ones that are safe but also read that NONE of htem are really reef safe and will sooner or later attack the reef. anyone there kept them for over a year or two with no problems? what kind?

 

[hossfly]

anyone?

 

[reefmut]

I ahve kept a green brittle for over a year and have not noticed any "attacks". I do target feed him about an hour after lights out along with my tubastrae ...... but thats just me

 

[Minh Nguyen]

I have two Linckias, a Linckia-like and two serpent stars in my tank without problem. Keep in mind that my tank is very large (500 g totsl volume) and well established. Linckia grew to be very large and need establish tank to do well. Many serpent stars are scavengers although some are active predators of fishes and crustaceans. You just need to search specifically for each species or at least each genus of the starfish. Search the BB here and Reefcentral.com for more information regarding specific starfishs.

 

[IcantTHINKofONE]

Will any Sea Stars (they are not fish) attack mushrooms, polyps, or anemones?

 

[Minh Nguyen]

There are starfish that eat coral (Crown-of-Thorns and a few other) but usually when we talk about unsafe starfish for reef tank, we usually talk about starfish that hunts and eats fish and crustacean.

 

[IcantTHINKofONE]

O well in my trigger tank, crustaceans won't be around.

 

[reefland]

I have various brittle and serpent stars. Just stay away from the known coral and fish eaters such as the famous green brittle or choc. chip sea star.

But my orange sea star is my favorite. Hasn't bothered any mushrooms, polyps, clams or sps.

 

[Syris]

I have a blue linckia for 4 months now with no problem either and I have shrooms, polyps, torch coral, acropora, xenia.

BTW reefland,
That is the coolest star I have ever seen 8O Is it a type of linckia?

 

[Palmetto]

I keep a wide range of brittle and serpent stars in several tanks. I really like them, and they eat any leftover food. I don't keep a lot of fish in my tanks, but I do have some dottybacks and Mandarin dragonets that they do not seem to bother.

I have some red serpent stars on the way, I really like the way they look. The thin-legged, small bodied stars are usually safer than the thick-bodied slow-moving ones- at least with corals. They are also the ones that can catch fish, although I have never lost one.

I have one huge green brittle, though. It may be just a matter of time. I like him better than my fish though.

 

[Palmetto]

O well in my trigger tank, crustaceans won't be around.

Triggers might take care of the starfish personally too, eh?

 

[reefland]

That is the coolest star I have ever seen 8O Is it a type of linckia?

No, it doesn't seem to be a linkia. A month or so ago AdvancedAquarist on-line magazine here at reefs.org was lookng for linkia photos for a feature article and the feedback I got was that they felt it wasn't a linkia species. (Soooo... you may have noticed this picture on Reefkeeeping.com on-line magazine instead. )

 

[EmilyB]

Orange knobby starfish, well over two years.