Linckia starfish

[Damsel13]

I have been doing some reading on these beautiful stars and it seems they are really not great for a new aquarium. They are relative inexpensive and seem easy to keep if a LFS (local fish store) doesn't tell you about them. I suggest (20/20 hindsight) that any new hobbyist to marine stuff searches here on Reef Frontiers and also the Wet Web Media (??) under Linckia starfish.

Mine seems to be doing better since I let some small algae, like a film, grow on my glass and have been using formula 2 pellets that sink and I think have some sponge in them. Plus I have a large population of live sponge.

I want to fatten this little (3") orange bugger up. The one in my avatar.

Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Debbie

 

[Damsel13]

my linckia will survive!

 

[Willy]

I have a blue Linkia in my tank and have had him/her for well over a year. Its my understanding that the linkia's with the rough textured bodies fair much better that the smooth bodied ones. My linkia survived after my cucumber got sucked into my closed loop, must be fairly tough..

HTH!

 

[Damsel13]

rough as in bumpy?

 

[Willy]

just a rough texture not smooth

 

[NC2WA]

I have kept several of them. This is what I have found the key to successfully keeping them:

1. Constant salinity levels. It will quickly demise if your salinity levels are constantly fluctuating.
2. Lots and lots of LR (at least 100lbs)
3. Personally, I wouldn't have one until a system is mature (at least 1 year). It most likely would starve to death in a new tank.

 

[Damsel13]

Got number one.
I do understand number two however I find my linckia mostly grazing on the glass.

I agree with you about mature.

So with all that. How can one help them thrive?


Debbie?

 

[NC2WA]

I have heard that one can place food under them and they will eat it. However, I have never attempted this method before.

 

[Damsel13]

Thanks for the info NC2WA. I agree ya just can't feed 'em . They just have to eat what is already there. And them bactieria better grow fast!
MHO

 

[redrooster]

I've had my orange one for over 2 years. Twice he has been sucked into a powerhead and lost a leg (2 one time) I thought for sure he was a goner, but recovered not only quickly, but back to where you could'nt tell at all, but it seems most starfish are very hard to kill. Some if you rip them in half you get 2 healthy starfish.
Mine also spends most of its time on the glass and quite a bit of time at the top of the water level with one or two legs floating at surface level. I wonder if they skim stuff of the top?? I've never seen it eat my sponge. But I do have a lot of LR. I knew it was a lot, but since it came mostly with the tank I didn't how how much. So when I moved my tank two weeks ago I decided to weigh it to find out. Had to do it in groups as it was a lot. I had 225 pounds of LR in my 75. Yes that is correct. I thought the more the better, but it was so much that it was created flow dead spots. I gave away 75 pounds of the bottom rock that wasn't very purple to friends/family and now my fish have a lot more room, and the "pile" has flow though it instead of being one big solid pile of rock. I also think it looks much better and I no longer have rock touching the glass. Sometimes less is more.

 

[Damsel13]

Wow, Mine also spends time at the top of the water level - floating! I also have never seen it eat my sponge.

Great to hear you have been able to have your starfish for that long. Thanks for posting.