Starfish for 20gal L

[TAANG]

Hi everyone! My husband and I are new to this hobby and really excited about getting everything up and running. We have a 20gal long tank with live rock and sand. We are going on vacation in two weeks and just want to run the tank and get everything perfect so we can add our corals and fish when we return. I have my heart set on a star fish and I have been doing tons of research on which ones would be compatable. I have read a lot of mixed reviews. We are looking for a starfish that would stay small, doesn't hide all the time, is reef safe, and is preferably a nice coloration. We are thinking about adding a couple shrimp and hope the starfish can help them to keep the tank clean. Any suggestions?

:dance:

 

[Dmoody]

I wish there was one with all aid those attributes unfortunately I have not found it yet. The more colorful variations are often difficult to keep alive and get way too big for a 20 gallon.

 

[rssjsb]

Yep. Stars that people are mostly attracted to, like linckia and fromia, are difficult to keep both because they are often mishandled after collection and because of their dietary needs. And, as Dmoody says, they get too big for a 20. Other types of stars will eat corals and other invertebrates.

Red or harlequin serpent stars from the Caribbean are your best bet. They're very pretty, are suitable for smaller tanks, and will eat leftover food, but they do tend to stay in the rocks except at feeding time.