Linkia multiflora

[Dizzle63]

Does anyone know if these are as easy to keep as the rumors state they are? I found a nice peach one with purple tips. It has six arms and is doing very well in my tank, but it has only been in there for two weeks or so.

 

[Tennyson]

I think all linkia species are impossible to keep long term because of their unknown diet. They eventually starve/deteriorate from lack of food and space to graze.

 

[pagojoe]

I don't know how easy they are supposed to be, but they are reportedly EASIER to keep than most of the other Linckia species, maybe only because they are generally smaller than most of the other species in the genus. I kept a small one (with only five arms) in my 55 for over a year until I moved the tank. He didn't grow a lot, but he didn't die either. From what I can read, they mainly feed on biofilms, but may graze on other tiny organisms. I also read a report of L. laevigata feeding on dying coral tissue, so that might also apply to L. multifora. The likelihood of keeping them successfully probably increases with tank size and "grazing" area, and apparently with tank maturity as well, although my tank wasn't very mature when I threw mine in there.

Unless it's a different species, I believe the correct name is "Linckia multifora" rather than "Linkia multiflora?" Greenbean should be able to correct me if I'm wrong.

(Disclaimer: above post written by a snail guy, not an echinoderm guy)

Cheers,



Don

 

[greenbean36191]

Yep, Don has it right. It's L. multifora.

They suffer from the same shipping/acclimation issues as any other Linckia and they seem to have the same need for lots of mature LR to graze. However, they're easier in that being smaller they can get by in much smaller tanks than larger congeners. A 55 would be about the smallest tank that they're likely to do well in, but it really depends on LR surface area more than tank size. Unlike most other Linckia they frequently reproduce asexually in captivity though.