Basket Starfish?

[SteveVai9708]

I'm interested in a basket starfish and I'm trying to research these guys, but can't really find anything on them. I know their feeding requirements are pretty demanding, but that's about it. I found these micro baskets on kp aquatics, so I'm guessing they would be easier? Also, what would you rate them beginner, intermediate, or expert. Just in case anyone asks I have a 65 gallon tank... If the basket star is an awful idea can some please recommend something really cool, freaky and exotic... Something very few reefers have.

 

[donut0079]

Basket stars are nearly impossible to keep. They require basically a full time job of feeding. They also require pristine water which means that very frequent water changes would have to accompany this. If you are looking at something that is going to wow you could look for maybe a tube anemone, urchin, or maybe go more of a rare fish direction.

 

[IdahoCindy]

My LFS has been trying to sell me his decorator crab. He's pretty freaky-looking.

 

[albano]

Also, what would you rate them beginner, intermediate, or expert...

What's beyond 'expert' ?... Very hard to keep...not worth trying, IMO...

My LFS has been trying to sell me his decorator crab. He's pretty freaky-looking.

Yes, but how does the crab look?

 

[SteveVai9708]

I have an urchin already. Spider decorator crabs are cool, but they are that reef safe because they take corals or inverts to make them blend in. I guess I'll look into rare fish because I can't find anything that isn't considered impossible to keep, or will nuke a tank like a Medusa worm.

 

[albano]

...I guess I'll look into rare fish...

Your profile states that you have 1 yr experience in the hobby...why are you looking for rare &/or expert fish?

 

[Calappidae]

Your profile states that you have 1 yr experience in the hobby...why are you looking for rare &/or expert fish?

To be fair I've had expert only things like harlequin shrimp 6 months into the hobby. You can start that argument with anybody that buys an anemone.


But anyway, there is a lot of things in the hobby that flat out shouldn't be collected, don't get me wrong you can have rarish things to keep, but some of these rare things are rare for a reason, and it isn't being hard to obtain.

 

[donut0079]

Your profile states that you have 1 yr experience in the hobby...why are you looking for rare &/or expert fish?

I agree. The OP is asking for rare and exotic not necessarily expert level. This one that they chose happens to be extremely difficult but that's why this forum is here. I think it's good that they asked about the basket before it was in a tank and needing these demands. That is one of the great things about this hobby beauty doesn't always go with difficulty. There is always another animal that fits your specific needs.

 

[SteveVai9708]

Your profile states that you have 1 yr experience in the hobby...why are you looking for rare &/or expert fish?

I never said I wanted expert fish...I said I can't find anything that is really exotic that isn't expert level. I been doing this for a year and I was asking the difficulty because if it's expert level I would never buy it because that would be an impulse buy. Not only that, I heard some rare fish are not hard like the black tang, but I do not have the space for a black tang. I have very hardy creatures in my tank and I still miss all the work that went into my 5 gallon...In the 65 gallon there is very little work the tank, so thats why I'm not as happy with it as my 5 gallon, but since I spent all that money on the tank I want to get the best out of it. Speaking as a muiscian, time does not equal experience, it is what you learned during that time. Anyways, thank you all for your replies. The basket star is a no and rare fish is a no because there is too much to loose. I'll find something, reefs are the most diverse ecosystem after all