Red fromia starfish

travis9791 · 03/20/2016, 05:37 PM

I recently went to my LFS looking for a brittle or serpent star. They did not have either. They did however have some small red fromia stars. I told the man there that I had a 144 gallon DT with a 30 gallon sump that had been up and running four months. He assured me this would be A good fit for my tank. I drip acclimated the starfish for 1.5 hours when I got home.The starfish only moved about an inch from where i placed it in the first 24 hours. The next morning I gently moved the starfish to see if he was alive. I placed it on A new section of rock midway down the tank. Since then He has moved several inches. I see no signs of deterioration and my water parameters are perfect. I read up on these guys when I got home and I see they suggest a one year old tank and even then survival is low. I have one week to return the starfish and I can' t decide if I should keep him or not. My daughter really wants a starfish. If I shouldn't keep this one are there any others that are a better fit?

heathlindner25 · 03/20/2016, 05:41 PM

I would return it

anthonys51 · 03/20/2016, 06:39 PM

they need a mature tank with good algae growth. but if the levels in your tank and stable and you supplement its feeding until your rock matures a little it should be fine.

travis9791 · 03/20/2016, 06:59 PM

My tank levels are ammonia=o, nitrite=0, nitrate=2, ph= 8.2, and my salinity is 1.26. They have been stable for 1.5 months. My rocks are fairly well algae covered with both coraline and green algae. I have read mixed posts on what they eat. Some say you can supplement feeding and others say they only eat microscopic algae that only time can produce. Food is my main concern over water parameters. Has anyone had luck feeding these guys anything. If so what was it.

CStrickland · 03/20/2016, 07:42 PM

There are a few threads where people have been able to target feed them, but it's a vast minority. If you can't get it to take any food from you in the next couple days I'd return it. Nobody really knows what they eat, just that they rarely thrive in new tanks and once in a blue moon somebody gets one that takes food.

I mean, honestly I'd return it now. Starving is not quick and fairly gruesome.Its like they seem ok until it's way too late. Their legs start to decompose and then they expel their guts. Your kids not gonna like that part. You can have an age-appropriate chat with her about stewardship and all that, and buy a hermit crab - they are far more entertaining anyway.

anthonys51 · 03/20/2016, 10:54 PM

Your a negative person. I say read up and research. There are a lot of fish and inverts that people once said are impossible to keep that are now kept. Now I will admit I think it probably will die in your tank. But it's probably going to die in the next tank too. So as long as you try to give it the best home possible abd do everything in your power to keep it alive. Keep it

CStrickland · 03/20/2016, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anthonys51

Your a negative person.

To whom are you referring?

anthonys51 · 03/20/2016, 11:28 PM

You your text was a little negative

CStrickland · 03/20/2016, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anthonys51

You your text was a little negative

You should find a way to express that without making personal attacks. You can disagree without judging me to be a "negative person."
How long have you kept star fish alive for?
I've killed 2

EDIT: I just noticed this, it's cute:

Quote:

Originally Posted by anthonys51

if the levels in your tank and stable and you supplement its feeding until your rock matures a little it should be fine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anthonys51

I think it probably will die in your tank

anthonys51 · 03/20/2016, 11:49 PM

I have killed about 20 star Fish Well not me, but my little friend harely

I will apologize if I insulted you. Meant to say comment negative not you

CStrickland · 03/20/2016, 11:54 PM

I asked how long youve kept them alive though, since OP isn't in the killing game (that'd traumatize the kiddo for sure)

anthonys51 · 03/20/2016, 11:59 PM

I keep chocolate chip stars a live for a long time. They even live with 3 legs cut off. I have never kept this type of star fish alive but then again you haven't either

CStrickland · 03/21/2016, 12:03 AM

Chocolate chips are entirely different. You can feed them, and they'll eat all your coral too. Apples to oranges. I'm not saying OP should keep this star, you are. Seems like it's maybe not so easy after all...

anthonys51 · 03/21/2016, 12:15 AM

I know nothing about the op. Seems to me it's a bee tank and being his first tank. Just guessing. Means most things will die in his tank. Should he return everything. I mean I been keeping fish a long time. Newbies kill lots of fish. But I will admit op try to keep stuff that isn't hard to keep. Once you mastered the easy then try the hard. It will save you a lot if money

iluvmyfishes · 03/21/2016, 12:24 AM

I have a red fromia and they do not move for a few days or so but then they will. I think yours will be fine. Mine goes all around the glass and in the rock. Once yours starts moving you can throw different kinds of algae sheets in if you don't think there is enough in the tank. I rubber band mine to a small rock, I never see the starfish eat it though.

username in use · 03/21/2016, 06:28 AM

How long have you had yours though. They generally starve over the course of a few months to a year. I tried to keep one in a heavily fed NPS tank for a while, it had a variety of foods available to it round the clock and it still starved.

ScienceRulez · 03/21/2016, 09:37 AM

If the little one's heart is set on a sea star, I recommend the chocolate chip, but only if you don't have a reef tank. The tank here is very eclectic to put it mildly, I even have a leather coral that someone donated,all 4 of my choc chips tried it but didn't like the taste I guess and it's doing very well in the center of the tank. The chip stars are very popular with the kids. The ones I'm taking care of have been in the tank for a little over 2 years and they are getting pretty good sized.

About a year ago we tried a red fromia in the tank and it only lasted a month before it passed on. I agree with CStrickland, you should return it, you don't want your daughter to see what happens when a sea star starts to go downhill.

Jeff4777 · 03/21/2016, 09:55 AM

I have a fromia star fish thats been alive in my tanks for over a year. He even steals seaweed off veggie clips

cloak · 03/21/2016, 10:29 AM

Being that the LFS is probably not going to provide this star with the care it needs and the survival rate is already poor to begin with, I would definitely keep it for a few weeks and see if you can get it to eat something. Throw everything at it but the kitchen sink if you have to. Nori, pellets, small bits of shrimp, live black worms etc. Also, I'm not sure what you have going on in your sump, but if there's any sort of life down there at all you might want to let the starfish have at it. (sponges, biofilms etc) Just make sure it's not going to mess with your ATO or get caught up in any pumps or anything. If it's still alive after all this time but you haven't seen it eat anything at all, then you might want to think about giving it to somebody with a much larger more mature tank and let them roll the dice. GL.

One of the links below is about Linkia starfish, but the care is pretty much the same all around IMO.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...580&pcatid=580

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/5/inverts

Jeff4777 · 03/21/2016, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cloak

Being that the LFS is probably not going to provide this star with the care it needs and the survival rate is already poor to begin with, I would definitely keep it for a few weeks and see if you can get it to eat something. Throw everything at it but the kitchen sink if you have to. Nori, pellets, small bits of shrimp, live black worms etc. Also, I'm not sure what you have going on in your sump, but if there's any sort of life down there at all you might want to move the starfish down there for a few days too. Just make sure it's not going to mess with your ATO or get caught up in any pumps or anything. If it's still alive after all this time but you haven't seen it eat anything at all, then you might want to think about giving it to somebody with a much larger more mature tank and let them roll the dice. GL.

One of the links below is about Linkia starfish, but the care is pretty much the same all around IMO.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...580&pcatid=580

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/5/inverts

Interesting thing is I've tried 1 Linkia before and it died (It was decaying already during acclimation I believe). Now I have 2 brittle star fishes and 1 serpent star (these 3 came in as hitch hikers on a large pipe organ coral colony). One of those brittle stars is now near a foot from leg to leg. Plus 2 Fromias which I bought and are doing great. Guess I just got the raw end of the deal on the Linkia. ;\

edit - 1 fromia is a tile sea star and the other is a small red fromia

Nina51 · 03/21/2016, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anthonys51

Means most things will die in his tank.

what?? that is an insane statement. i started back up in saltwater tanks just over 2 years ago after a hiatus of 30 years. things have changed, husbandry practices are better, lots of fish being tank bred/raised. i have most of the fish i started with 2 years ago (some i gave to friends because i wanted a reef this time and they weren't reef safe), plus more i have acquired over the last 2 years.

i considered myself very much a beginner 2 years ago. i'm a little more seasoned now but i still have a lot to learn. to say most things in the OP's tank will die is just mean-spirited.

anthonys51 · 03/21/2016, 12:10 PM

not being mean just a realist. sorry if i offended you. but the reason i said things will die in your tank is you are new and seem to buy on impulse. hence buying a starfish that's hard to keep in even the most matured tank honestly sorry if my assumption is wrong and i really do hope this starfish lives. my daughter still ask what happened to here nemo.

rt67ghy · 03/21/2016, 12:13 PM

When transferring the starfish to your tank was it exposed to air? If this happens, air enters their stomach and they can't move. They can't get the air out of their stomach. They'll remain in one place and die from starvation.

I had a fromia indica for about 8 months. It would accept small bits of shrimp if I fed it but most of the time it would eat stuff from the tank. It tripled in size but I had to get rid of it because it would eat my plating goniopora. They do well in a mature tank with tons of LR.

Dkuhlmann · 03/21/2016, 02:48 PM

KP Aquatics has what they call a common starfish and I've heard they're quite hardy and do well in reef and FOWLR tanks. KP Aquatics is a great place to buy from. I'm waiting until they have collected sponges for the year and get a few different colored ones.

I highly suggest you call or email them. Make sure that you read the comments section

http://www.kpaquatics.com/product/common-starfish/

travis9791 · 03/21/2016, 03:36 PM

I appreciate everyone's response on this thread. The opinions and experiences with this starfish seam to vary greatly. Not only on this thread but also on other threads I have researched. My Tank is a 144 gallon with a 30 gallon sump. I have about 150 pounds of live rock in the tank. Half of the live rock is pukani from an established tank. Algae growth is fairly good. As far as this being an impulse buy I'm not sure I would call it that. I went to the LFS for a Brittle star but they were out. The man at the LFS who I would assume to be knowledgeable suggested the Red Fromia. I had no reason to not trust him being that he has steered me away from purchases in the past that would not be a good fit in my tank. AS far killing things in my tank goes I think I have a pretty good survival record. I have only lost 2 snails and a lawnmower Blenny who seams to have disappeared. I currently have 2 clowns, 1 wrasse, 1 pink goby, 1 yellow tang, 2 emerald crabs, 2 hermits, 6 turbo snails, 1 coral banded shrimp, 1 duncan, 1 RBTA, 1 nuclear green polyp, 1 pulsing xenia. All are doing excellent. I check my water parameters every other day, and I try to research everything in my tank as much as possible. So I can provide it a quality life. The starfish is moving and shows no signs of stress. I am still on the fence and will continue to research this topic. Thanks again for all of the advise.

03/20/2016, 05:37 PM	#1
travis9791 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 72	Red fromia starfish I recently went to my LFS looking for a brittle or serpent star. They did not have either. They did however have some small red fromia stars. I told the man there that I had a 144 gallon DT with a 30 gallon sump that had been up and running four months. He assured me this would be A good fit for my tank. I drip acclimated the starfish for 1.5 hours when I got home.The starfish only moved about an inch from where i placed it in the first 24 hours. The next morning I gently moved the starfish to see if he was alive. I placed it on A new section of rock midway down the tank. Since then He has moved several inches. I see no signs of deterioration and my water parameters are perfect. I read up on these guys when I got home and I see they suggest a one year old tank and even then survival is low. I have one week to return the starfish and I can' t decide if I should keep him or not. My daughter really wants a starfish. If I shouldn't keep this one are there any others that are a better fit?

03/20/2016, 07:42 PM	#5
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	There are a few threads where people have been able to target feed them, but it's a vast minority. If you can't get it to take any food from you in the next couple days I'd return it. Nobody really knows what they eat, just that they rarely thrive in new tanks and once in a blue moon somebody gets one that takes food. I mean, honestly I'd return it now. Starving is not quick and fairly gruesome.Its like they seem ok until it's way too late. Their legs start to decompose and then they expel their guts. Your kids not gonna like that part. You can have an age-appropriate chat with her about stewardship and all that, and buy a hermit crab - they are far more entertaining anyway. __________________ If you're havin tank problems I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one Current Tank Info: 3/2016 upgrade to 120g. Chalk bass, melanurus, firefish, starry blenny, canary blenny, lyretail anthias, engineer gobys, kole tang. Softies / LPS / NPS. <3 noob4life <3

03/20/2016, 11:54 PM	#11
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	I asked how long youve kept them alive though, since OP isn't in the killing game (that'd traumatize the kiddo for sure) __________________ If you're havin tank problems I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one Current Tank Info: 3/2016 upgrade to 120g. Chalk bass, melanurus, firefish, starry blenny, canary blenny, lyretail anthias, engineer gobys, kole tang. Softies / LPS / NPS. <3 noob4life <3

03/21/2016, 12:03 AM	#13
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	Chocolate chips are entirely different. You can feed them, and they'll eat all your coral too. Apples to oranges. I'm not saying OP should keep this star, you are. Seems like it's maybe not so easy after all... __________________ If you're havin tank problems I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one Current Tank Info: 3/2016 upgrade to 120g. Chalk bass, melanurus, firefish, starry blenny, canary blenny, lyretail anthias, engineer gobys, kole tang. Softies / LPS / NPS. <3 noob4life <3

03/21/2016, 06:28 AM	#16
username in use Sciencing Daily Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 6,560	How long have you had yours though. They generally starve over the course of a few months to a year. I tried to keep one in a heavily fed NPS tank for a while, it had a variety of foods available to it round the clock and it still starved. __________________ Joshua "With fronds like these, who needs anemones?" - Albert Einstein Current Tank Info: multiple nano's sprinkled around the house

03/20/2016, 05:41 PM	#2
heathlindner25 Moved On Join Date: May 2012 Location: flowery branch georgia Posts: 3,644	I would return it

03/20/2016, 06:39 PM	#3
anthonys51 Registered Member. Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Kings Park, NY Posts: 2,789	they need a mature tank with good algae growth. but if the levels in your tank and stable and you supplement its feeding until your rock matures a little it should be fine.

03/20/2016, 06:59 PM	#4
travis9791 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 72	My tank levels are ammonia=o, nitrite=0, nitrate=2, ph= 8.2, and my salinity is 1.26. They have been stable for 1.5 months. My rocks are fairly well algae covered with both coraline and green algae. I have read mixed posts on what they eat. Some say you can supplement feeding and others say they only eat microscopic algae that only time can produce. Food is my main concern over water parameters. Has anyone had luck feeding these guys anything. If so what was it.

03/20/2016, 10:54 PM	#6
anthonys51 Registered Member. Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Kings Park, NY Posts: 2,789	Your a negative person. I say read up and research. There are a lot of fish and inverts that people once said are impossible to keep that are now kept. Now I will admit I think it probably will die in your tank. But it's probably going to die in the next tank too. So as long as you try to give it the best home possible abd do everything in your power to keep it alive. Keep it

03/20/2016, 11:28 PM	#8
anthonys51 Registered Member. Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Kings Park, NY Posts: 2,789	You your text was a little negative

03/20/2016, 11:49 PM	#10
anthonys51 Registered Member. Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Kings Park, NY Posts: 2,789	I have killed about 20 star Fish Well not me, but my little friend harely I will apologize if I insulted you. Meant to say comment negative not you

03/20/2016, 11:59 PM	#12
anthonys51 Registered Member. Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Kings Park, NY Posts: 2,789	I keep chocolate chip stars a live for a long time. They even live with 3 legs cut off. I have never kept this type of star fish alive but then again you haven't either

03/21/2016, 12:15 AM	#14
anthonys51 Registered Member. Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Kings Park, NY Posts: 2,789	I know nothing about the op. Seems to me it's a bee tank and being his first tank. Just guessing. Means most things will die in his tank. Should he return everything. I mean I been keeping fish a long time. Newbies kill lots of fish. But I will admit op try to keep stuff that isn't hard to keep. Once you mastered the easy then try the hard. It will save you a lot if money

03/21/2016, 12:24 AM	#15
iluvmyfishes Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Orange County CA Posts: 143	I have a red fromia and they do not move for a few days or so but then they will. I think yours will be fine. Mine goes all around the glass and in the rock. Once yours starts moving you can throw different kinds of algae sheets in if you don't think there is enough in the tank. I rubber band mine to a small rock, I never see the starfish eat it though.

03/21/2016, 09:37 AM	#17
ScienceRulez Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Allentown PA Posts: 286	If the little one's heart is set on a sea star, I recommend the chocolate chip, but only if you don't have a reef tank. The tank here is very eclectic to put it mildly, I even have a leather coral that someone donated,all 4 of my choc chips tried it but didn't like the taste I guess and it's doing very well in the center of the tank. The chip stars are very popular with the kids. The ones I'm taking care of have been in the tank for a little over 2 years and they are getting pretty good sized. About a year ago we tried a red fromia in the tank and it only lasted a month before it passed on. I agree with CStrickland, you should return it, you don't want your daughter to see what happens when a sea star starts to go downhill.

03/21/2016, 09:55 AM	#18
Jeff4777 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 518	I have a fromia star fish thats been alive in my tanks for over a year. He even steals seaweed off veggie clips

03/21/2016, 10:29 AM	#19
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	Being that the LFS is probably not going to provide this star with the care it needs and the survival rate is already poor to begin with, I would definitely keep it for a few weeks and see if you can get it to eat something. Throw everything at it but the kitchen sink if you have to. Nori, pellets, small bits of shrimp, live black worms etc. Also, I'm not sure what you have going on in your sump, but if there's any sort of life down there at all you might want to let the starfish have at it. (sponges, biofilms etc) Just make sure it's not going to mess with your ATO or get caught up in any pumps or anything. If it's still alive after all this time but you haven't seen it eat anything at all, then you might want to think about giving it to somebody with a much larger more mature tank and let them roll the dice. GL. One of the links below is about Linkia starfish, but the care is pretty much the same all around IMO. http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...580&pcatid=580 http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/5/inverts

03/21/2016, 12:10 PM	#22
anthonys51 Registered Member. Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Kings Park, NY Posts: 2,789	not being mean just a realist. sorry if i offended you. but the reason i said things will die in your tank is you are new and seem to buy on impulse. hence buying a starfish that's hard to keep in even the most matured tank honestly sorry if my assumption is wrong and i really do hope this starfish lives. my daughter still ask what happened to here nemo.

03/21/2016, 12:13 PM	#23
rt67ghy Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh Posts: 984	When transferring the starfish to your tank was it exposed to air? If this happens, air enters their stomach and they can't move. They can't get the air out of their stomach. They'll remain in one place and die from starvation. I had a fromia indica for about 8 months. It would accept small bits of shrimp if I fed it but most of the time it would eat stuff from the tank. It tripled in size but I had to get rid of it because it would eat my plating goniopora. They do well in a mature tank with tons of LR. __________________ 180g mixed reef. 53g sump including 20g fuge. 320lbs LR, 140lbs LS. 1/2 hp chiller. Temp 75-79. Current Tank Info: Fish: 1 yellow tang, 1 mandarin, 1 pair of tomato clowns, 1 maroon clown, 1 skunk clown, 1 banggai cardinal. Anemones: 1 green haddoni carpet, 2 heteractis auroras, 1 LTA.

03/21/2016, 02:48 PM	#24
Dkuhlmann Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,823	KP Aquatics has what they call a common starfish and I've heard they're quite hardy and do well in reef and FOWLR tanks. KP Aquatics is a great place to buy from. I'm waiting until they have collected sponges for the year and get a few different colored ones. I highly suggest you call or email them. Make sure that you read the comments section http://www.kpaquatics.com/product/common-starfish/ __________________ Previous tanks: 200 gal fowlr 9" Emperor Angel and many different butterfly fish 4" maroon clown and several other fish, 50 gal sump, 40 gal mixed reef/fish mostly softies and LPS. Current Tank Info: 40b 750 gph 45 lbs lr, 2"-3" sand, 165w full spectrum dimable LED, 20 gal sump/refugium 30 lbs lr, Bak Pak 2 skimmer, 4" sock temp 79-80, sg 1.026, NH3 0, NO2 0, NO3 <10, ph 8.2, calc 400, mag 1300

03/21/2016, 03:36 PM	#25
travis9791 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 72	I appreciate everyone's response on this thread. The opinions and experiences with this starfish seam to vary greatly. Not only on this thread but also on other threads I have researched. My Tank is a 144 gallon with a 30 gallon sump. I have about 150 pounds of live rock in the tank. Half of the live rock is pukani from an established tank. Algae growth is fairly good. As far as this being an impulse buy I'm not sure I would call it that. I went to the LFS for a Brittle star but they were out. The man at the LFS who I would assume to be knowledgeable suggested the Red Fromia. I had no reason to not trust him being that he has steered me away from purchases in the past that would not be a good fit in my tank. AS far killing things in my tank goes I think I have a pretty good survival record. I have only lost 2 snails and a lawnmower Blenny who seams to have disappeared. I currently have 2 clowns, 1 wrasse, 1 pink goby, 1 yellow tang, 2 emerald crabs, 2 hermits, 6 turbo snails, 1 coral banded shrimp, 1 duncan, 1 RBTA, 1 nuclear green polyp, 1 pulsing xenia. All are doing excellent. I check my water parameters every other day, and I try to research everything in my tank as much as possible. So I can provide it a quality life. The starfish is moving and shows no signs of stress. I am still on the fence and will continue to research this topic. Thanks again for all of the advise.