Where to buy Biscuit Starfish?

[FishAndAquatics]

I can't find these awesome starfish anywhere! Does anyone know where to get them? I heard they only eat live sponge, which is fine because I grow it on my tank. Link to the image of a biscuit starfish:

http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/detailed_image.cfm?ddID=269979

 

[Bongo Shrimp]

They don't just eat any sponges, there are certain types they eat. At this time it's not known exactly which species of sponge they eat but their diet also includes bryozoans and tunicates. I would suggest a different species since they typically just starve to death over the period of a year or possibly more. For those reasons they are not imported very often.

 

[Genera]

They don't just eat any sponges, there are certain types they eat. At this time it's not known exactly which species of sponge they eat but their diet also includes bryozoans and tunicates. I would suggest a different species since they typically just starve to death over the period of a year or possibly more. For those reasons they are not imported very often.

How did the DD team care for it?

 

[Bongo Shrimp]

How did the DD team care for it?

They just keep them alive long enough to sell them.

 

[Genera]

They just keep them alive long enough to sell them.

So they have the special sponges to feed it?

 

[Bongo Shrimp]

So they have the special sponges to feed it?

No. It's not even known what sponges or tunicates or bryozoan a it truly feeds on IF all three of those are in fact in its diet. Those are the most likely suspects as many individuals have been found on top of and seemingly eating these things in the wild. We don't know for sure though.

 

[Calappidae]

It pretty much goes like this:

Collector doesn't have the knowledge to care for the actual animal, the supplier takes it in, the animal is starving but shows no signs of starvation for the next two weeks, then they sell it to finish starving in somebody else's tank.

It's pretty unforunate how little care suppliers and collectors sometimes have for delicate species like these.

 

[reeferstace]

It pretty much goes like this:

Collector doesn't have the knowledge to care for the actual animal, the supplier takes it in, the animal is starving but shows no signs of starvation for the next two weeks, then they sell it to finish starving in somebody else's tank.

It's pretty unforunate how little care suppliers and collectors sometimes have for delicate species like these.

Yep. If people would quit buying them stores would stop selling them.

 

[Nina51]

that would surely be an "expert only" sort of creature. needs to stay in the ocean!