Too many starfish?

Floridiot · 05/06/2009, 05:01 AM

I have a 150 gallon aquarium with about 1" of sandbed. I already have one blue linkia starfish which has been doing well. I was planning on adding a pair of serpent stars to help with cleanup, but was wondering if my tank can support 3 starfish? What is the recommended rule of thumb for stocking starfish?

daudelus · 05/06/2009, 05:13 AM

You should be fine... I believe you can have as many as you like as long as you are willing to supplement with meaty foods.

redfishsc · 05/06/2009, 05:36 AM

Not necessarily the case, daudelus.

Many stars are detritivores, and will essentially starve to death without some form of crap to eat (unfortunately I mean that literally!).

The serpent stars, however, have a reputation for being able to survive quite happily on meaty foods and are probably a great addition to any larger tank.

They will eat a fish if they can catch it, though!! Keep that in mind. I would ONLY keep a serpent star in an aquarium with fish too big for it to catch (which honestly most of us have fish well within their capability).

From what I've read, the bristley brittle stars that get nearly as big (if not as big) are much more fish-friendly.

billdogg · 05/06/2009, 05:58 AM

actually, the opposite is true. serpaent stars are very reef friendly - green brittle stars WILL eventually eat whatever they can catch. I had a green brittle star in my happy tank for several years. as he got larger, i would occasionally lose a fish - it happens from time to time in a tank thats been up since 1992, so i did not think much of it. then one morning i found out why - i found my purple firefish hanging half way out of the brittles mouth!!! he has since been banished to live with hannibal, my 4' moray. EAT THAT i say !!! common serpent stars are, IMO, a great addition to any reef tank. if you can find them, black, red, and yellow brittle stars seem to be fine as well.

Jeremy Blaze · 05/06/2009, 07:05 AM

Serpents will be fine.

Linika will likely soon die.

mrkalel · 05/06/2009, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jeremy Blaze
Serpents will be fine.

Linika will likely soon die.

ouch... so all Blue's normally die?

Jeremy Blaze · 05/06/2009, 09:48 AM

yes.

Orr2003 · 05/06/2009, 09:57 AM

do you mean Linckia star?

Jeremy Blaze · 05/06/2009, 10:01 AM

yes

Moonstream · 05/06/2009, 10:16 AM

I have to agree with Jeremy Blaze, there isnt much hope that the linckia will live more than a year, if that.

serpents are the best starfish you can get, IMO. my first (a harlequen, maybe 6" tip to tip) has survived 2 tank moves (from a 20L to a 75 to a 29BC) though he hasnt grown much (I dont really spot feed him, hes shy and I tend not to see him much). my bigger one (a red, about 14" diameter) is much less shy, usually out and about.

just stay away from ANY green or yellow ones, or any that seem like they might be green, and you should be fine.

also, keep in mind that bristle stars (the ones with hairlike spikes on their arms) are far more likely to eat fish than serpents, IMO.

museumguy · 05/06/2009, 01:05 PM

For what its worth we've had a blue linckia in our large display tank (1700 gallons) for over two years and he is still fat and healthy as ever. But results will likely be different in a much smaller tank with less bio-film, algae or other smagma that it needs to eat on a regular basis. But not 100% doomed to die within months either.

-Tad

reefscape15 · 05/06/2009, 04:51 PM

+1 for adding 2 serpent stars, but definately be careful of brittle stars

05/06/2009, 05:01 AM	#1
Floridiot Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Florida - NE Broward County Posts: 665	Too many starfish? I have a 150 gallon aquarium with about 1" of sandbed. I already have one blue linkia starfish which has been doing well. I was planning on adding a pair of serpent stars to help with cleanup, but was wondering if my tank can support 3 starfish? What is the recommended rule of thumb for stocking starfish? __________________ "The problem with quotes on the internet is you can never be certain they're authentic." -Abraham Lincoln Current Tank Info: 157 cube (42x36x24), mini BK200g2, Lumenarc stealth, Tunze Streams

05/06/2009, 05:13 AM	#2
daudelus Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Elizabethtown, PA Posts: 177	You should be fine... I believe you can have as many as you like as long as you are willing to supplement with meaty foods. __________________ ------------------------- 55g long mixed reef. 60lbs LR, 2 x 150 HQI 15k MH, BH 1000 Octopus HOB Skimmer, Sumpless, 2x Hydor Koralia 3s + 1x Hydor Koralia 1, HOB filter for Carbon.

05/06/2009, 05:36 AM	#3
redfishsc Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Wake Forest, NC Posts: 3,696	Not necessarily the case, daudelus. Many stars are detritivores, and will essentially starve to death without some form of crap to eat (unfortunately I mean that literally!). The serpent stars, however, have a reputation for being able to survive quite happily on meaty foods and are probably a great addition to any larger tank. They will eat a fish if they can catch it, though!! Keep that in mind. I would ONLY keep a serpent star in an aquarium with fish too big for it to catch (which honestly most of us have fish well within their capability). From what I've read, the bristley brittle stars that get nearly as big (if not as big) are much more fish-friendly. __________________ "The measure of a life is not its duration but its donation." Corrie Ten Boom “The tyrant dies and his rule is over, the martyr dies and his rule begins” -- Søren Kierkegaard Current Tank Info: ghetto grad school reef.....11g rimless tank, 36X9X9, lit by Cree and Rebels scobbled together. Stocked mostly with free stuff I got from panhandling my fellow reefers.

05/06/2009, 05:58 AM	#4
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	actually, the opposite is true. serpaent stars are very reef friendly - green brittle stars WILL eventually eat whatever they can catch. I had a green brittle star in my happy tank for several years. as he got larger, i would occasionally lose a fish - it happens from time to time in a tank thats been up since 1992, so i did not think much of it. then one morning i found out why - i found my purple firefish hanging half way out of the brittles mouth!!! he has since been banished to live with hannibal, my 4' moray. EAT THAT i say !!! common serpent stars are, IMO, a great addition to any reef tank. if you can find them, black, red, and yellow brittle stars seem to be fine as well. __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

05/06/2009, 07:05 AM	#5
Jeremy Blaze Former Reef Addict Join Date: May 2003 Location: New Washington, IN Posts: 5,864	Serpents will be fine. Linika will likely soon die. __________________ Trust me my friend, the names are not important at all. I've own hundreds of different zoas and palys and don't know the name of a single one. In my opinion, they are a waste of valuable time. Mucho Reef

05/06/2009, 09:48 AM	#7
Jeremy Blaze Former Reef Addict Join Date: May 2003 Location: New Washington, IN Posts: 5,864	yes. __________________ Trust me my friend, the names are not important at all. I've own hundreds of different zoas and palys and don't know the name of a single one. In my opinion, they are a waste of valuable time. Mucho Reef

05/06/2009, 09:57 AM	#8
Orr2003 Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: WV Posts: 862	do you mean Linckia star?

05/06/2009, 10:01 AM	#9
Jeremy Blaze Former Reef Addict Join Date: May 2003 Location: New Washington, IN Posts: 5,864	yes __________________ Trust me my friend, the names are not important at all. I've own hundreds of different zoas and palys and don't know the name of a single one. In my opinion, they are a waste of valuable time. Mucho Reef

05/06/2009, 10:16 AM	#10
Moonstream Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: NYC Posts: 2,581	I have to agree with Jeremy Blaze, there isnt much hope that the linckia will live more than a year, if that. serpents are the best starfish you can get, IMO. my first (a harlequen, maybe 6" tip to tip) has survived 2 tank moves (from a 20L to a 75 to a 29BC) though he hasnt grown much (I dont really spot feed him, hes shy and I tend not to see him much). my bigger one (a red, about 14" diameter) is much less shy, usually out and about. just stay away from ANY green or yellow ones, or any that seem like they might be green, and you should be fine. also, keep in mind that bristle stars (the ones with hairlike spikes on their arms) are far more likely to eat fish than serpents, IMO.

05/06/2009, 01:05 PM	#11
museumguy Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: St Louis, MO Posts: 1,089	For what its worth we've had a blue linckia in our large display tank (1700 gallons) for over two years and he is still fat and healthy as ever. But results will likely be different in a much smaller tank with less bio-film, algae or other smagma that it needs to eat on a regular basis. But not 100% doomed to die within months either. -Tad __________________ ---------------------------------------- Entomologist

05/06/2009, 04:51 PM	#12
reefscape15 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elmira Heights, NY Posts: 2,812	+1 for adding 2 serpent stars, but definately be careful of brittle stars __________________ A new beginning........... JIM Current Tank Info: 5g standard softie/zoa tank, just starting a 20H