Which star should I get

[stickx911]

I'm still setting up my 30g (slowly, but surely) and I wonder which star-fish would do well in this tank. I have a red star (little thing) that I really like in my 55, and I may get another, but are there any other reef-safe stars that would not starve in a 30g hex.

 

[drnecropolis]

Red star? Like a red general star? Not reefsafe.. A brittle, serpent star, a linkia won't work since they need lots of LR surface area(not lots of lbs, lots of surface area!)

 

[stickx911]

no, not the general.

 

[drnecropolis]

Ahhh ok.. I was hoping it wasn't. I learned the hard way with a stupid chocolate chip.. I turned on the lights one morning and it was eating a new 3 headed frogspawn!

 

[stickx911]

DrNecropolis;267683 wrote: Ahhh ok.. I was hoping it wasn't. I learned the hard way with a stupid chocolate chip.. I turned on the lights one morning and it was eating a new 3 headed frogspawn!

oooo...that would suck

 

[george]

A brittle star of some sort, though the tank is really a bit small to support a brittle star unless you're overfeeding or you target-feed the star (not hard with a bit of raw shrimp or something else it can easily snag). Definitely do NOT want to get a sand sifter (tank is way too small) or the commonly found Chocolate Chip star which isn't reef safe. brittle stars have been reported to go after small fish, though.

 

[fish scales2]

I would do small serpents. I believe red starfish are also carnivores, although the eat detrius and are herbivores there diet also requires them to eat meat. IMO they are fine in a larger tank as the can scavenge more area but I would worry about them in a smaller tank. If you chose to put him in just hand feed him mysis or shrimp.

 

[smoothie]

2nd the mini's. Cool, cleanup, multiply like mad and you can sell/trade them.
Also they will not grow big and harrass your corals when feeding. I have a sun coral transfered to my planted now bc my 20in brittle ripped some heads off getting a squid snack. Anyone with a large fish only want a star that will take out silversides?

 

[miami dolfan]

It's weird how I had a chocolate chip star for 3 years and never went after my coral. Then one day, half my zenia population had been trimmed down!

 

[chauwall]

DrNecropolis;267674 wrote: Red star? Like a red general star? Not reefsafe.. A brittle, serpent star, a linkia won't work since they need lots of LR surface area(not lots of lbs, lots of surface area!)

I have an orange linkia that has been in the tank for 1 year and reefsafe. I've never directly fed it before. I do have a lot of LR. What do you think it's eating?

 

[steve]

I have a huge brittle and I never target feed him anyithng in my 30cube... Brittle stars do not need much rock or space...