Wife wants a starfish. Is any species worth buying?

[bat21]

65 gallon forwlr. All I read is how most of them will just starve to death. Are any worth buying that I can actually keep alive?

 

[jraker]

Serphent stars.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Check out KP Aquatics. I was on their site the other day and reading about many different critters and noticed they have a standard common starfish that had good reviews of living a long time. They also have several different types of starfish. They are the people that collect critters from the ocean and then sell them outright. So great prices and no middle man raising the costs up. It's a husband and wife business and highly recommended from many people. I plan on getting a few different color sponges once they start collecting them again.

 

[cloak]

What kind of fish do you have? A starfish might be out of the question to begin with.

 

[albano]

Serphent stars.

Serpents should be no problem, BUT they like to hide and will not be easy to see during the day...some of mine are 5-7 yrs old

 

[Ron Reefman]

A couple of my serpent stars come out occasionally when I feed, others I see very, very rarely... like when I move a rock and they are under it!

 

[ginpang]

Brittle stars are easy to keep and good scavengers and not aggressive EXCEPT for the green ones as they are usually quite vicious.
Sand sifting stars are pretty cool too if you don't have other fish or creatures who depend on the same food source.

 

[bat21]

Check out KP Aquatics. I was on their site the other day and reading about many different critters and noticed they have a standard common starfish that had good reviews of living a long time. They also have several different types of starfish. They are the people that collect critters from the ocean and then sell them outright. So great prices and no middle man raising the costs up. It's a husband and wife business and highly recommended from many people. I plan on getting a few different color sponges once they start collecting them again.

Interesting. That common starfish would be perfect. Thanks for the recommendation.

Serpent and brittle stars look too much like spiders, says my wife. Gotta get the few things she wants to make up for the endless amount of money and time I put into this hobby .

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Bat21 I take it you looked at them, I agree I think she'll be happy with them. From the sounds of it they're easy to keep.

 

[tripdad]

I have one of the "common sea stars" from KP Aquatics. It was in my reef for almost 9 mos. as a model citizen, no problems with fish or coral.......until I added a blasto colony, ate 1 head within the first 24 hrs., then started on another, moved to sump, still alive 5 mos. later. It's a neat star, not super colorful, but hardy.

 

[MikeyAl]

All starfish are pretty cool. It all depends on your aquarium inhabitants. I have serpent and brittles. Both very cool but hide a lot. Sand sifting stars also are great but as the name suggests they will be in the sand quite a bit.

A chocolate chip is super cool but not reef safe. Also you can't keep triggers or puffers around as they will eat your cc

Give more details about your tank.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I've got dozens of brittle stars and never see much of them accept their legs sticking out of the LR trying to grab some food. It's crazy how many are living in one of my rocks.

I think those from KP come in different colors, might want to call or email them and ask. I'd be interested to hear what colors they come in.

 

[MikeyAl]

 

[albano]

Sand sifting stars also are great...

Sand sifting stars usually do not last long in a tank...

 

[bat21]

I have one of the "common sea stars" from KP Aquatics. It was in my reef for almost 9 mos. as a model citizen, no problems with fish or coral.......until I added a blasto colony, ate 1 head within the first 24 hrs., then started on another, moved to sump, still alive 5 mos. later. It's a neat star, not super colorful, but hardy.

Awesome. I will definitely get one of them.