Lawnsharks
New member
My basket starfish is splitting in half right down the middle of his body. Is he dieing or reproducing? I didnt know they were so damn finicky, the fish store owner told me people have them in full reef tanks all the time.
basket star splitting
- Thread starter Lawnsharks
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liverock
RC Sponsor
if there is a hole in the middle of him...he is on the way out...tough critter to kept fed...
Lawnsharks
New member
ive been blasting the tank with frozen cyclops, baby brine, and mini mysis since i got it and he always spread at least one leg out in the stream. IDK.
"Echinoderms can regenerate missing limbs, arms, spines - even intestines (for example sea cucumbers). Some brittle stars and sea stars can reproduce asexually by breaking a ray or arm or by deliberately splitting the body in half. Each half then becomes a whole new animal."
Excerpt from this site: http://www.starfish.ch/reef/echinoderms.html
Im a optimist...Im hopeful!
"Echinoderms can regenerate missing limbs, arms, spines - even intestines (for example sea cucumbers). Some brittle stars and sea stars can reproduce asexually by breaking a ray or arm or by deliberately splitting the body in half. Each half then becomes a whole new animal."
Excerpt from this site: http://www.starfish.ch/reef/echinoderms.html
Im a optimist...Im hopeful!
Last edited:
greenbean36191
Premium Member
There's little reason to be optimistic. While some echinoderms can reproduce asexually by splitting, basket stars aren't among them. Your star is dying.
Lawnsharks
New member
Well that effin sux. Is there more info on your reasoning that i can read. Not calling you out, just curious where you got this info from so i can pass it on to my other forums.
greenbean36191
Premium Member
I'm not sure if there's anywhere you can read about it online. You would have to consult invert biology books.
In general though, fission is a pretty uncommon way for ophiuroids of any kind to reproduce. Of the over 2000 known species, less than 50 reproduce that way. That's largely an artifact of how they get around, which requires them to have at least 3 legs. As a result, most of the species that are fissiparous have 6 legs (and all have more than 5).
In general though, fission is a pretty uncommon way for ophiuroids of any kind to reproduce. Of the over 2000 known species, less than 50 reproduce that way. That's largely an artifact of how they get around, which requires them to have at least 3 legs. As a result, most of the species that are fissiparous have 6 legs (and all have more than 5).
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