Thick Legged Reef Safe Starfish For 40G?

[lifeoffaith]

You usually feed them twice a week by putting a small piece of mussel or clam or whatever about 1/2 inch from them (or in their path) and they usually find it and eat it.

No?

I had a linkia for a few weeks. Mine was in a 46 gallon bowfront. I was feeding it, but it wouldn't eat too much. I also had a Fromia, lasted much longer, but I never fed it due to what my LFS said (I didn't know any better). I will not ever have another starfish at least until I get into something much bigger (like a 250-300 gallon).

Brittles/serpents on the other hand are awesome and are easy to keep fed. They will eat any food that falls to the bottom, and I gave mine pieces of shrimp all the time. You can get bright red ones too if you're looking for color.

 

[Sweitz1972]

I've heard the serpent stars can get much bigger than the brittle stars and get more aggressive once they get bigger. Any truth to that?

 

[heathlindner25]

Green serpent star of death, waits until you're poor Fish are asleep to do his dirty work

 

[Ron Reefman]

I've heard the serpent stars can get much bigger than the brittle stars and get more aggressive once they get bigger. Any truth to that?

Not that I am aware of... to both questions.

I have several of each and they all seem to get to about 8" to 10" in diameter and both tend to hang out under rocks all day and come out at night. If mine are hungry when I feed the tank they will come out and I make it a point of getting some small meaty bits to them.

This is the same behavior and size relationship I've seen while doing a lot of snorkeling in the Florida Keys and seeing hundreds of serpent and brittle stars in their natural environment.