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FAQs about Marine Scavenger Selection: Seastars Related FAQs:
Seastar Selection,
Marine Scavengers 1,
Marine Scavengers 2,
Marine Scavengers 3,
Sand
Sifters, Sea Cucumbers, Shrimp
Gobies, Sifter
Gobies, Marine
Algae Eaters, Hermit Crabs, &
FAQs on Scavenger: Rationale,
Compatibility, Specimen Selection,
Clean Up "Crews", Worms
As Scavengers, Snail Scavengers,
Shrimp Scavengers,
Hermit Scavengers,
Crab Scavengers,
Cucumber Scavengers, Sea Urchin
Scavengers, Serpent Star Scavengers,
Fish/Groups as Scavengers, Losses/Troubleshooting,
Related Articles: Marine
Scavengers, Genus Valenciennea
Gobies, Hermit Crabs,
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Tamaria stria vs. Purple Linckia 12/20/06
I've been searching for more information on the purple Linckia starfish that
have come in at the LFS. So far, it seems there is a lot of confusion between
the actual purple Linckia and the Tamaria stria. <Similar in appearance.> I was
wondering how to tell them apart? One site mentioned that the Tamaria stria has
orange feet and possibly eats soft corals and that the purple Linckia has clear
feet. <Tough to tell the difference, not much study on these animals.> Also,
what is the tank size and age requirements for the purple Linckia? <Not really
appropriate for captivity.> Most sites tend to say 75+ gal and 6 mon. + for the
Tamaria stria. <Minimum, however what they eat is still debated/mostly
unstudied.> Right now I have a 29 gal., up for 6 weeks, crushed coral sub, some
live rock, and 1 damsel, with wet/dry, trickle under it with live rock, live
sand, and some algae (mixed of Chaetomorpha & some Caulerpa's). I plan on
replacing the damsel with a frogfish (Antennarius pictus or Antennarius
maculatus) and NO other fish. Would the starfish be ok with him? <Not really,
neither of these stars have a good survival rate in captivity.> If not, I am
also going to be setting up a 65 gal. that he can go into. Much
appreciated! Nicole
<Best to leave these stars in the ocean, too much unknown about them and they
have a dismal survival rate. For more
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/seastars.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/seastars2.htm >
<Chris>
Starfish/Urchins in an Aggressive Fish Only Tank 11/23/05
Apologies if you have already answered this but I couldn't find it on the FAQ section.
I have a fish only tank with a Huma Trigger, Snowflake Moray and Lionfish. I have been looking for something to control algae but the trigger keeps biting chunks or any exposed pieces from any snails that I put in there (irrespective of
size). Can you keep starfish or urchins in this type of tank? And if so, would anyone have nay recommendations?
<The trigger will eat all inverts!! you better scrub the aquarium by hand!! IanB>
Micro stars/Detritus Control 3/16/06
Hey crew, <Hey Eric>
Hope you are having a wonderful day. <Not bad.>
I am having a little bit of a detritus build up problem in my tank.
Some of the live rock I have has small pockets in the rock they look like small
craters, but detritus seems to settle in these pockets and I
have to eventually vacuum them. Well after I vacuum most of these out all my
coral and anemone seem to open up a lot more and last for a few weeks (I guess
they could be eating this material but I really don't think so). <Correct.> I
was wondering if adding micro bristle stars would help keeps these areas
clean. <Will help some. The best control is what you mention...vacuuming and
during every water change.> If you have any suggestions of other organisms that
would work better please let me know.
180 gallon
300 lbs live rock
1600 gallons an hours of power head water flow.
4-5 inch sand bed.
Thanks, <You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Eric
Sand Sifting and Orange General Starfish???
Star Problems, Predation 7/27/06
Hello and thanks for taking the time to read and answer my question. <Sure>
I have both a sand sifter and an orange general starfish. <Protoreaster lincki?>
I've had the sand sifter for about a month and just got the orange general a
couple of days ago. Well here's the deal, I went into look at my tank this
morning and noticed that my orange general starfish was in the process of eating
my sand sifter. <Several species go by this common name, and for some this is
not an uncommon behavior.> I know it was too late for the sand star because I
could see half of it was already digested and the general was working on the
other half. Keep this in mind that earlier that night the sand sifter was
perfectly fine. I have FOWLR tank with a porcupine puffer, niger trigger, &
maroon clown. <I would guess at some point either the puffer or trigger should
have decided to snack on the star anyways.> Water Levels are all ok. I was
wondering if this is normal for a general star to do. <Need a scientific name to
be sure, but seems likely.> I knew this star wasn’t reef safe and thought that
it be ok in my tank. Will it try and eat my fish? <Depends on the size of the
fish, but I would bet that the problem will be the other way around.>
Sorry if this is a stupid question, but my LFS is pretty reliable on the info he
gives me, at least I thought he was, and he said this star would be ok in a fish
only tank.
<Not a fish only tank if there is another star in there, either way those sharp
teeth the puffer and trigger have are there for a purpose, and will most likely
make short work of any stars in the future.>
Just hoping to get a better understanding of the situation.
Thank you for your time and effort,
James
<Anytime>
<Chris>
Re: Sand Sifting and Orange General Starfish??? Star
Problems, Aggressive tank 7/30/06
Hello again Chris and the Crew,
<Hello>
Thanks Again for answering my question. <Sure> As far as the Orange General Star
goes, I do believe the scientific name is
Protoreaster lincki. <Definitely some evidence that it is a potentially
carnivorous species.> Sorry I didn't have it before. <No problem.> The fish I
have not messed with the star fish so far, but the puffer likes to mess with my
snails. This is my 1st aggressive tank, so I was wondering if you have any other
recommendations a far as clean up goes for a Porcupine puffer, niger trigger,
and maroon clown. <The cleanup crew in mostly going to be you, as most snails,
crabs, and shrimp will be lunch for the niger and puffer. May be able to use
burrowing snails but even this is doubtful.>
Thanks Again,
James
<Chris>
- Seastar Questions -
Hi crew,
Long time reader first time writer.
I just want to make sure my last purchase is a smart one. <Ok.>
First I'll start off with some tank facts.
Saltwater 55 Gallon FO
ammonia- 0 nitrite- 0 nitrate- 0 pH-8.3 Sal. - 1.023
don't test anything else
carbon run 24x7. protein skim with a Versa-jet skimmer (cheap I know,
but actually has wonderful performance for me, about 4-8 oz of dark skimmate
daily.)
3.5-4" crushed coral substrate
cheap lighting (perfecto strip of I would guess two 15" fluorescents)
Inhabitants - a few damsels
clarkii clown
Pseudochromis
very small valentini puffer.
I am looking into getting a star, particularly the chocolate chip star.
I would like to get this star to help clean my substrate and glass. <Not a
sure thing.> Also I have heard its very hardy. <Hardy in what sense? All
seastars could be lumped into the category of 'not hardy' although some may
tough it out longer than others.>
Are my conditions good enough for this star to thrive? <Hard to be certain -
are many variables, health of organism on arrival, appetite of that puffer,
available food, etc.> There is plenty of algae that I have to clean biweekly
to weekly off the substrate and glass. <Can't guarantee that this seastar
will eat this.> Will this be enough for him along with the left overs from my
fish feeding (frozen krill, frozen brine shrimp, dry blood worms, flake, frozen silversides,
frozen clams)? <Well... I'm sure you know that these animals don't move very
fast, so it may not get the opportunity to get to all this food or clean the
glass as quickly as might be useful for you.>
Would you suggest a different star (although I would like to stay with a hardy
specimen) <Again, really no such thing as a hardy seastar in the pet-fish
trade - are all delicate and responsive [in a negative way] to water quality
issues. There are others, like the general star that are impractical to keep
that would rate higher on the hardiness scale than a chocolate chip star.>
I would love to add some live rock too but I know my lighting wont be sufficient
for the invert. <Wouldn't be so concerned about this - live rock with or
without lighting will provide benefit to your tank.> hitchhikers and
coralline growth. So I think I will wait for better lighting till I
get the LR. <I wouldn't wait if I were you.>
Thanks,
APM
<Cheers, J -- >
Sandsifter in 40gal?
Hi there
<Hello>
We have recently changed the substrate in our 40 gal 1 year old system. It is about 1 - 1.5in deep sand bed covering the front half of the tank (3 ft. long). I have been thinking of adding a sandsifting star as our crabs tend to be a little lazy and prefer the LR at the back. My question is, would a 3-4in star be too big for the tank and is it likely to starve once it's cleaned the sand?
Thanks
Jo
<Is right about the minimum size for one... Please read through the FAQs here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/sndsftstrfaqs.htm
Bob Fenner>
Re: Sandsifter in 40gal?
Thanks Bob
<Welcome>
I read the FAQ about the stars and although I have one reserved in a shop, I guess I better tell them I've changed my mind. Just one more thing, if the
star is out of question, what would you recommend to turn the sand?
<... Please see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/
put the term "sand sifters" in the Google search tool........>
I love gobies but don't like the way some of them take a mouthful of sand and chuck
it all over the LR... Great and a very useful site by the way! Thanks again, Jo
<Please use it. Bob Fenner> Clean up Crew
I'm putting together my clean up crew for my 46 gal. tank w/ 65 lbs. of live
rock with lots of Algae.
Would you recommend a combo of Turbo and Trochus or Turbos and Astrea
snails? How many of each for my size tank?
Thanks, Rob O.
>>
Well... you've asked a pointed, defined question... So... I'll gladly
respond
in kind. I don't encourage the stated stocking density of Trochus genus
Snails, and I do favor the use (if being utilized) of Turbo and Astrea
genera gastropods over the use of Trochus... (though in Europe... there are
some collected/collectable trochid family members that are desirable...).
Bob Fenner
Thanks Bob for answering the question of what kinds of snails. How many
would you recommend for my size tank?
<Oops, sorry for missing this part previously... IF I was using snails, five or ten of
Astreas and Turbos... Some Blue Legged Hermits... again five or ten... depends on the types, amounts of live rock used, lighting... other algae eaters... am a bigger fan by far of using fishes... like Ctenochaetus Tangs, Blennies...>
I also really want to get some
starfish. I was thinking (1)Blue Linckia,(1)orange marble and (1)brittle
starfish. Should I purchase these when I get my clean up crew or should I
wait until my tank is more established? How many would you recommend for
my size tank? Right know the tank is 6 wks. old with lots of Algae mostly
brown).
<I'd only consider the middle species... and you can place it now... or wait
Bob Fenner>
Thanks again, Rob O.
Hired help for cleaning
Hello Mr. Fenner,
Short questions today. I've read the articles on starfish, and I want
to put some in my 100G. reef tank. I'd like to put maybe 1 blue Linckia,
and some Fromias, but in your opinion, how many starfish would you put,
I now have 1 brown brittle star, 1 peppermint shrimp, 2 cleaner shrimp 4
red-legged hermits, 2 blue-legged hermits, and 2 big turbo snails along
with the fishies, and also what do you think is the most efficient
detritivorous cleaner for a reef tank. I know the Fromias are
detritivores, but also need supplementing with meaty foods, are they my
best bet, or would you recommend something else? ( strictly for detritus,
not concerned about algae). I do also clean the bottom, but I just want
something that I could say is a live-in maid, if you know what I mean.
Greg N.
<Three, four small stars total is about the limit. Marine scavengers are covered on the WWM site. Bob Fenner>
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