Starfish Regeneration?

[MrRyanT]

I posted this in the Reef Discussion forum but didn't get any responses. Hopefully someone here will have an answer.

Will starfish regenerate in our aquariums? I have a pair of Harlequin shrimp. So I'm wondering if I cut a starfish, a chocalate chip for instance, in half and placed in a seperate aquarium if it would grow into two complete starfish. Then I could feed my Halequins basically for free.

 

[greenbean36191]

Healthy stars will regenerate arms. However, animals that are malnourished or that contract secondary infections may not. Some can even regenerate entire new animals from just part of a leg. Most don't do this though and cutting them in half would significantly reduce their chances of survival, much less regeneration into a whole new animal. Basically, it's not a good idea unless your goal is to grow two dead half-starfish.

 

[MrRyanT]

Thanks, and after doing quite a bit of research after posting this last night, I would definitely agree with you. Was hoping to save both some money and a few starfish lives, but guess I will just have to keep buying them to feed the Harlequins. I initially bought the Harlequins because I think they're really cool and I had many, many asterinas. Now the asterinas are virtually gone, and can't come up with enough elsewhere to keep the Harlequins fed, so just don't suppose I have another choice.

 

[Frozn]

I have a fromia that has reproduced by dropping legs. These legs are now full stars and healthy

 

[B.Lo.The.C]

I had a harlequin for a few years, they go through star fish way too fast for them to regenerate. really fun to watch them eat the star fish but i had to buy a new one to feed them about every other month.

 

[lobsterotomy]

I'm sure if you bought 8 - 10 stars, you could constantly rotate feeding a leg every so often and letting that one recover and harvest another one from the next.

 

[MrRyanT]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14622467#post14622467 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lobsterotomy
I'm sure if you bought 8 - 10 stars, you could constantly rotate feeding a leg every so often and letting that one recover and harvest another one from the next.

Yeah, I think your right, but my "spare" tank is a 29 gallon and I don't think I would be able to keep that many starfish alive in there long term.