Echinaster spinulosus (orange starfish)

[donald altman]

I am wondering if anyone else has one of these in their tank...
I have had one that I collected about a year ago in the gulf.
I haven't found much info about them. They are commons in the Gulf of Mexico. Never have caused any problems. I guess it is eating fish food or detrious and I don't target feed it.

It could be eating krill that I also put into the tank.

So far it has been a model citizen in my reef and seem to be right at home.
My Children love it and it is very active. Mostly it is on the aquarium walls or out on top of liverock in plain view.

They are very cool looking starfish "classic" looking orange/brown 5 arms...

I am wondering why I donm't hear more of them and why people don't house these... or maybe I am wrong and people do???

 

[lsugurl10]

Hey Donald,
I just received an Echinaster spinulosus a few days ago. We had him in a tank at school for a class. My TA told me that I should try feeding him dried krill once a week. However, I'm finding it difficult to get the krill in a position for him to eat?! He mostly hangs on the glass and rarely have I seen him on the bottom or on my live rock.

How is your guy doing? Are you still not target feeding him? Just curious as to what I should do..

Thanks!

 

[donald altman]

Hey man... thanks for the reply and sorry for the long delay. My starfish seems to be doing great. I have tried and tried to feed mine krill too.. I am not sure if he eventually finds them when the krill finally does sink down in the tank and settles.. or if my cleanup crew does... I have never actually seen it "eat." I make sure to feed my tank a few small sinking pellets in hope the star finds it. My tank is very active though and perhaps it is eating copepods snails or the occasional hermit.. I havent noticed anything missing though LOL....
The star I have climbs the liverock and the tank walls.. seldom do I ever see it in the sand.. if I do it is on the move.

So far it has been a model citizen..My kids really enjoy him.

 

[lsugurl10]

Haha...sorry it's been so long! I've been busy with my tank..haha! Anywho, I figured out how to feed him. Lots of times he'll just lay with tentacles "skimming" the surface of the water...I just lay a piece of krill (not too big) onto his tentacle and he pulls it in himself to eat it. Hope this helps..

 

[ryan1985]

a year later, would be curious to know how the Echinaster spinulosus worked out in your systems? considering one, but a lack of info has me hesitating. don't want one munching on corals...

 

[Whiterabbitrage]

Following...

 

[Whiterabbitrage]

Bump. Are the stars still alive?

 

[sfreas2001]

I have 6 of them , they have done well long term. Never lost one. They are great scavengers and are both in my frag tanks and reef tank. They have never bothered any coral.