Star Fish

Coal · 08/10/2006, 08:15 AM

Can anyone recommend starfish that are hardy? I am trying to pick one out to go into my 55 gal FOWLR. I plan on making it a reef once i can upgrade my lighting.

Specs are:

55 Gallon
45lbs of live rock (roughly)
2 clown fish
1 blue hippo tang
1 scotter blenny
12 turbo snails

I am planning on adding:
1 flame angel
1 diamond gobby
and possibly 1 cardinal
also some coral in the near future. possibly early 2007

Thanks everyone

Teeka · 08/10/2006, 08:31 AM

I have had 2 brittle and a serpent star in my tank since 2 weeks after the cycle was finished. They have been in there for 4 1/2 months. They have been thru most of my newbie mistakes. They are thriving and growing. So I would say they are pretty hardy.

Coal · 08/10/2006, 08:36 AM

Thanks Teeka,

I have seen the brittle stars and the serpent stars, do you think they will outgrow my tank? Thats what I have been told before. I was thinking of some sort of Linckia starfish. Anythoughts?

pooh1989 · 08/10/2006, 08:47 AM

I've heard the Linckia stars are very hard to keep and don't last long. I've got a green brittle and sand sifting stars in my tank and they do a great job.

Teeka · 08/10/2006, 08:49 AM

The Linka starfish are hard to keep. They need a well established take, that is over a year old. 1 of my brittles has gotten rather large. I also have 2 different kinds of brittles. I have a red one which is the large one. Then a brown one thats growth is slower. I don't know if this is typical. I don't have to worry about that as I have a 120. The serpent hasn't grown that much since I have had him.

Coal · 08/10/2006, 08:53 AM

I have always heard that sand sifting stars were pretty hard to keep because you can't tell if they are eating enough from the Live Sand. Also, because they burry themselves under the sand if they happen to die it would be very hard to tell because they are hidden and that the amonia would spike due to this.

Teeka · 08/10/2006, 08:58 AM

I added 2 sand sifting stars about a month ago. I can tell where they are at all the time. Mine don't go deep in the sand bed. I can see the out line of them on top of the sand. Mine move around alot sifting the top layer of sand. I have a fighting conch that is a different story he stays buried and rarly comes out.

pooh1989 · 08/10/2006, 09:03 AM

Sometimes you have to look pretty hard to find the sand sifting ones but I see mine almost all the time. You just have to look hard. I usually throw a couple shrimp pellets in every day for the hermits and stuff.

08/10/2006, 08:15 AM	#1
Coal Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Brampton, Ontario Posts: 30	Star Fish Can anyone recommend starfish that are hardy? I am trying to pick one out to go into my 55 gal FOWLR. I plan on making it a reef once i can upgrade my lighting. Specs are: 55 Gallon 45lbs of live rock (roughly) 2 clown fish 1 blue hippo tang 1 scotter blenny 12 turbo snails I am planning on adding: 1 flame angel 1 diamond gobby and possibly 1 cardinal also some coral in the near future. possibly early 2007 Thanks everyone __________________ 70 Gal - Cichlid Tank 55 Gal - FOWLR Current Tank Info: 55 Gal FOWLR

08/10/2006, 08:36 AM	#3
Coal Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Brampton, Ontario Posts: 30	Thanks Teeka, I have seen the brittle stars and the serpent stars, do you think they will outgrow my tank? Thats what I have been told before. I was thinking of some sort of Linckia starfish. Anythoughts? __________________ 70 Gal - Cichlid Tank 55 Gal - FOWLR Current Tank Info: 55 Gal FOWLR

08/10/2006, 08:47 AM	#4
pooh1989 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Small Town, ND Posts: 199	I've heard the Linckia stars are very hard to keep and don't last long. I've got a green brittle and sand sifting stars in my tank and they do a great job. __________________ Freedom Isn't Free! Land of the Free, Because of the Brave! Current Tank Info: 46 gallon reef tank with 2 maroon clowns, 2 firefish, lawnmower blenny and a yellow clown goby and 35 gallon hex FOWLR with 3 blue/green chromis and a fuzzy dwarf lion fish

08/10/2006, 08:53 AM	#6
Coal Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Brampton, Ontario Posts: 30	I have always heard that sand sifting stars were pretty hard to keep because you can't tell if they are eating enough from the Live Sand. Also, because they burry themselves under the sand if they happen to die it would be very hard to tell because they are hidden and that the amonia would spike due to this. __________________ 70 Gal - Cichlid Tank 55 Gal - FOWLR Current Tank Info: 55 Gal FOWLR

08/10/2006, 09:03 AM	#8
pooh1989 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Small Town, ND Posts: 199	Sometimes you have to look pretty hard to find the sand sifting ones but I see mine almost all the time. You just have to look hard. I usually throw a couple shrimp pellets in every day for the hermits and stuff. __________________ Freedom Isn't Free! Land of the Free, Because of the Brave! Current Tank Info: 46 gallon reef tank with 2 maroon clowns, 2 firefish, lawnmower blenny and a yellow clown goby and 35 gallon hex FOWLR with 3 blue/green chromis and a fuzzy dwarf lion fish

08/10/2006, 08:31 AM	#2
Teeka Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Palm Bay, FL Posts: 75	I have had 2 brittle and a serpent star in my tank since 2 weeks after the cycle was finished. They have been in there for 4 1/2 months. They have been thru most of my newbie mistakes. They are thriving and growing. So I would say they are pretty hardy.

08/10/2006, 08:49 AM	#5
Teeka Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Palm Bay, FL Posts: 75	The Linka starfish are hard to keep. They need a well established take, that is over a year old. 1 of my brittles has gotten rather large. I also have 2 different kinds of brittles. I have a red one which is the large one. Then a brown one thats growth is slower. I don't know if this is typical. I don't have to worry about that as I have a 120. The serpent hasn't grown that much since I have had him.

08/10/2006, 08:58 AM	#7
Teeka Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Palm Bay, FL Posts: 75	I added 2 sand sifting stars about a month ago. I can tell where they are at all the time. Mine don't go deep in the sand bed. I can see the out line of them on top of the sand. Mine move around alot sifting the top layer of sand. I have a fighting conch that is a different story he stays buried and rarly comes out.