Does anyone keep a Fromia?

[Whiterabbitrage]

Got a Fromia star a few months ago. Before it was purchased came the obligatory research. Most of the info was vague. Seems these guys haven't been studied much. I believe they eat bacterial biofilm. When I got mine, I took a good look at him. Those tiny black specks all over him are actually holes.
Interesting. But it gets weird.
This morning I went to remove the bait from my trap ( long story)
And the Fromia was wrapped around the bait. An old shrimp tail.
He has now been wrapped around this stinky shrimp tail for 5 hours that I know of ( why?!) and those little black holes? They all have spikes coming out.
What is the meaning of these spikes? Is it something to do with eating? Breathing? What are they?
I can't get a picture because he is still inside the cup/ trap.
He is wrapped around that shrimp tail like a lover in a passionate embrace.

Any insight into this?

 

[Whiterabbitrage]

10 hours and counting. Starfish still gripping stinky shrimp tail.

 

[Calappidae]

I had my red fromia for about 3 months, sadly lost it after a system crash.. I moved it into another tank and it starved from lack of proper food source.

 

[Whiterabbitrage]

Just to update, the starfish did let go finally, after approximately 18 hours. He's been wondering the tank as normal ever since. Was he eating something off the tail? Tempted to add another tail and see if he'll do it again...