What kind of Sea Star is this?

pfoster40

New member
Hi guys, this is my first post so don't flame me. I'm really new to this hobby and just got back from the beach today. Me and my g/f found two really cool looking sea stars that were washed up really high onto the shore. We are now trying to figure out what they are?

here is one....

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/225/477580838_ce74029563.jpg?v=0

and here is the other...

http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/islands01/log/sep9/media/intrvw_starfish_600.jpg

Can anyone also tell me if they can go in the same tank together? I have a FO tank right now. Also what kind of food they need.
 
1st photo is Asterias forbesi, second is Astropecten articulatus. They can go into a tank together but I don't recommend having either one. Asterias prefers molluscs but will eat pretty much anything - including other Asterias - when it gets hungry while Astropecten is a sand star which will rapidly strip all life from your sand & then starve.
 
As a general rule there aren't any sea stars except for the small asterina-type species that will do well in a new or small tank. some survive for a year or so & seem fine but they're not getting enough food & are slowly starving to death.
 
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