multiple starfish? aquarium advice

fastEXcaper · 12-16-2005, 08:17 AM

I'm doing a year long research project on starfish and I have no clue as to how to set up aquariums. How many starfish can live in one aquarium? I need to have about 20 specimens...can I just keep them all in one tank? How big does it need to be? Somebody please help! Your suggestions and guidance are very much appreciated.

Diver_1298 · 12-16-2005, 08:32 AM

Tough question. While I am very far from being a starfish expert. My wife keeps 5 starfish in a 20 long aquarium. 1 black brittle, 3 banded serpents. 1 green serpent and another small brittle. I think some of the factors that you need to consider are...
1.) What type of star fish are you trying to keep?
2.) What are their natural habitats?
3.) A lot of stars are nocturnal.. They need to have plenty of hiding, or "this is my space" places...
4. You have to know the food requirements...

Give us a little more information and I'm sure this thread will grow with more questions and answers.

Jim

BTW Welcome to 3Reef!!

fastEXcaper · 12-16-2005, 08:44 AM

I'm trying to keep Asterias forbesi, or the 'common starfish'. It's geographic range extends from the Gulf of Maine to Texas and its natural habitat is in tide pools, along pilings, jetties, and on sandy or rocky bottoms. I dont think these starfish are nocturnal..but I'm not sure...They feed on bivalve mollusks. Thanks so much for your help!

billpa · 12-16-2005, 09:36 AM

Depends what kind of starfish. Having multiple serpent or brittle stars would not be hard IMO...However, when you get into Fromias and Linkia stars, you might have a hard time just keeping one. Most people who have had success with these stars usually have aged tanks. Since there isn't a lot of info on what they feed on, I suppose you could speculate that an aged tank is more successful because of the abundance of algae and microfauna.

HTH
billpa

Diver_1298 · 12-16-2005, 11:42 AM

You're in luck my wife has two of these in a ten gallon tank that she has successfully kept now for about 8 months. Yes, you are correct about them not being nocturnal. I have picked many of these up while diving in the Gulf of Mexico. In fact the two she has were given to her by someone at a beach. They were going to take them home as dried up souvenirs... Now I look at them sitting next to the reef tank.

They are a hardy breed and if you can get them to eat, they should last the whole year you need to keep them. For starters I would give them a standard aquarium with some live rock to help with the filtration. Use an aragonite based sand for substrate even though they will fight for glass space on the sides of the tank. As far as the tank size... I would guess a minimum of a 50 gallon tank. Most of these stars are about 6" to 7" across and I wouldn't put anything else in the tank with them except some macro algae and some good filtration. Feeding them will also be a little bit of a chore because they will not run after the common foods that you feed normal marine tanks. They tend to ignore them. Brittle stars and serpent stars are not half as picky and will eat just about any meaty foods.
I will talk to my wife tonight and see how and what she feeds them.

Jim

mmakay · 12-16-2005, 12:06 PM

Your question is also a little open ended because you haven't specified what size tank you are planning to use. There is a big difference between a 50 gallon from PetCo and a 1500 gallon laboratory tank.

As was mentioned earlier, it will also depend on habitat. Will you be recreating a natural habitat, or studying them in a bare tank? Will they be "fed" or will you supply the tank with muscles and clams for them to predate?

Diver_1298 · 12-16-2005, 04:54 PM

After speaking with the "boss" she has learned through trial and error that if she places a cube of tubiflex worms in the tank and makes it stick to the wall. (It does this quite well) The star will slowly move over the top of it and feed upon it.
These stars I have seen in 5 feet of water and 60 feet of water. So, I'm pretty sure the lighting requirements are next to none. Use what you need to see them by.
As far as setting up a saltwater tank and getting it going, you need to do this at least a month or two in advance of acquiring the stars. Read, then read some more. Start with the 3Reef articles. http://www.3reef.com/modules.php?nam...category&cid=1
Then go buy a beginner marine aquarium set up book. The more you read and understand the better success you will have in trying to keep marine animals.
Good Luck and keep asking questions.
Jim