Tip of the Day – 5/25/2012

Despite vast similarities in the anatomy of different tropical and sub-tropical starfish species, not all of them are suitable for aquarium life. While they may all thrive in salinity or temperature ranges commonly found in our aquariums, their diets vary so greatly they they can’t haphazardly be placed into an enclosed environment and thrive without specifically tailored care. Some starfish readily graze on algae and/or uneaten fish food, never needing anything specific in order to be healthy. Others may require spot feeding on a regular basis, if not to keep them alive then to keep them from eating your high dollar fish. So, next time you’re in the fish store and you can’t resist that blue Linckia starfish or weird looking basket star, just remember your research on the species and walk away…unless of course you can actually provide for all of its dietary needs.