Tip of the Day – 7/31/2012

Not all starfish will behave the same way in a reef tank. Some are great detritivores, while others eat meatier objects like unwary fish. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with some being easy to care for and others being a bit more difficult. Chocolate chip starfish, for example, are not reef friendly as they will consume some corals and slow moving or immobile invertebrates. They are, however, very hardy and will do well. The popular Linckia starfish, on the other hand, are stunningly beautiful but rarely do well. Their diet is too specialized for long term survivability in the aquarium and they often starve to death over time. Brittle stars, which aren’t technically true starfish, are great at eating detritus, but sometimes they also develop a taste for sleeping and slow moving fish. These are just a few of the many different starfish that are available in the aquarium trade, and each is so wildly different that they require different living conditions and food sources. Whenever you plan on purchasing a new starfish for your tank, be sure to research them thoroughly so that you can provide the proper diet and water parameters for them to thrive.