Feather Star Goodness!

[Tabatha]

Three weeks ago we purchased a feather star on impulse -- we all do it -- later to find that most haven't had any success with them in captivity. I don't know what the typical survival rate in a tank is, I have hear a year.

After gingerly adding it to our tank and loosing a few feathers, we really didn't have much hope. We watched as days past, it didn't move much, expanded and contracted.

A few days ago we noticed it had moved closer to the front glass. A few days later it moved away from the glass. We had the Vortech on randon and at a strong pulse, it expanded and waved it's feathers around.

Today after coming home from work, we discovered it had crawled up onto the rocks!!! We now have hope that this remarkable, beautiful creature might have a bit of a life in our tank.

Edit: Just wanted to add that we use Reef Chili to feed the corals and the feather star quite likes it too!

 

[rebelehs]

Nice pic,
The best I have ever done is 3 months. I have tried twice
If I try something 3 times and it does not make it , I quit trying so no more for me until I have a better system for one

 

[dendro982]

If you can, post the photo of it in open state and maybe number of arms, including lost.

You see, I tried 3 kinds of feather stars:
1 - red, open even in daytime,
2 - green mottled, wide "feathers", ~33 arms,
3 - violet and brown with thin arms, 21-23 arms, these were impossible.

All, except red:

You can see the difference.

This seems to be like yours:

could be Lamprometra klunzingeri. Search by name should show research article about their diet in the wild, up to 240 microns, if I remember right. Can't find link right now.
Try to offer variety of foods, for prolonged time. Mine is close to continuous, and first two stars are alive for 10 months. Not much, but this is all I have. Try to match salinity to posted by people, who kept them for a long time, and keep water clean (I mean yellowing). Flow: observe reaction, med-high IMHE. Protect intakes bu mesh. Provide the hiding place: mine is under the Christmas tree rock boulder, comes at the top in the evening, retreats in the morning. No harm for corals, including sps.

You, probably, already read this information, I'm posting link just in case if not. Diets particularly.

You may try also RotiFeast and Shellfish Diet, Fauna Marin foods, live rotifers - S or SS type.

R. Toonen article about the red one.

Sailfin about care of feather stars. One more his thread - in index.
Some kinds just cease to feed in captivity.

HTH

 

[colorfan45]

Those are beautiful creatures, good luck with it.

 

[Tabatha]

Well, I've been trying to count feathers all week, it's not that easy! Would you believe 40??? I have not taken any new photos b/c it's never fully open. the feathers reach out to catch reef chili and golden pearls but never flat open.

BTW Dendro, those links and photos are a tremendous help, thank you so much!!!

 

[dendro982]

:wave: