Crinoid Care

[CuttleKid]

Over the past week i have been stopping by a pet store i'm familiar with and i see they got a huge shipment of green crinoid feather stars. i know they are best suited to only aquariums and research institutes, but was wondering if anyone on here has had succes with them. Most of them are dead in the tank and was wanting to hopefully save the one or two that are left. I've heard conflicting advise on their husbandry. in books i've read they say to keep them in a slightly cooler temp. like 65-72F because they live deep in the Indo Pacific where dendros, gorgonians and sun polyps live. If anyone has had success with them or can let me know more about there husbandry ex.(how much phyto plankton or other filter feeder foods) and if buying them instead of letting them die off in the tank will suport them getting more than let me know because i'd hate to see them more common in the aquarium trade. They claim they are basket stars but I'm confident that they are Crinoids.

Thanks

 

[Kynigos]

Basket star is a common name for a crinoid. I've never had one but from what I've heard they are very specialized feeders often only taking food of a particular size and even then if it's not what they're used to eating they dont' usually eat it. Personally I wouldn't buy any and encourage the shop to get more in.

 

[billsreef]

Buying something as a "rescue" does only encourage the shop to get more, because "it sold".

 

[jonrx]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14460186#post14460186 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kynigos
Basket star is a common name for a crinoid. I've never had one but from what I've heard they are very specialized feeders often only taking food of a particular size and even then if it's not what they're used to eating they dont' usually eat it. Personally I wouldn't buy any and encourage the shop to get more in.

Agree. The best way to "save" them is to let the ones they have now all die so they don't order them anymore.

 

[iamwhatiam52]

A basket star is NOT a crinoid, but this is why common names get us in trouble.
Crinoids are often called feather stars, and are extremely difficult to keep.
Basket stars are Ophiurids. Similar to brittle stars or serpent stars except their arms are branched. Basket stars are less difficult, but by no means easy. I kept one for a year and a half but lost it in a partial tank crash.... my stupid fault. Even so, I am not saying it was thriving, only that it survived for a while.

 

[rendogg]

Just being the devils advocate here. Years ago many corals(sponges, tunicates, many fish, etc.) were thought unkeepable, It has been through trial and error and our willingness as hobbyists to learn and provide these animals with the conditions they need, that the hobby and our understanding of these animals has grown in leaps and bounds. Without these brave pioneers we would not be keeping these animals in our aquariums, period. In order for the limits to expand we must sometimes push those limits. Try and get your LFS to trust and give you a crinoid in the name of science and the hobby. Keep expanding the limits!