Reef Discussion

shaidas

Member
Jan 30, 2017
105
37
Blue Star Fish
Anyone keeping a blue star fish for more than a year ? From what I have read they will run out of food eventually and starve. I can't figure out these people with collector licenses. they seem to sell stuff that by all accounts they should not. Sea moths for example. People seem to buy them as well which can mean one of 2 things. One is success varies even with correct parameters and feeding so one can just take a punt on whatever takes their fancy irrespective of what others have experienced Or Two both the collectors and their buyers are irresponsible to not research what they harvest and sell/buy.

While looking for a clean up crew I was suggested a blue star fish which from what I have read is a futile exercise aimed at just eventually killing the poor thing. But I have been wrong many a times before.. hence the question. Well the question is related to blue star fish but I am just trying to figure out whether it is best to stick with what has known to work over the years or to experiment and hope for the best
 

Wazza22

Member
Oct 3, 2015
116
50
Perth
Anyone keeping a blue star fish for more than a year ? From what I have read they will run out of food eventually and starve. I can't figure out these people with collector licenses. they seem to sell stuff that by all accounts they should not. Sea moths for example. People seem to buy them as well which can mean one of 2 things. One is success varies even with correct parameters and feeding so one can just take a punt on whatever takes their fancy irrespective of what others have experienced Or Two both the collectors and their buyers are irresponsible to not research what they harvest and sell/buy.

While looking for a clean up crew I was suggested a blue star fish which from what I have read is a futile exercise aimed at just eventually killing the poor thing. But I have been wrong many a times before.. hence the question. Well the question is related to blue star fish but I am just trying to figure out whether it is best to stick with what has known to work over the years or to experiment and hope for the best
linckia starfish is the starfish i think you are referring too.
Here is a good read, a very well established tank is required.
To be sold with a CUC sounds irresponsible to me.
I suspect the reason most dont make it is poor shipping and/or acclimating
 

shaidas

Member
Jan 30, 2017
105
37
I did read that one Wazza but thank you. Do you have one ? I did think that pairing that with trochus snails is a bit much based on what I have read and hence posed the question. That and the fact that I keep seeing some pretty wonderful stuff being posted for sale, a lot of which is by existing accounts at least, very hard if not impossible to keep but People may have had other experiences hence it was suggested or just because it is local and freely available ..maybe
 

suta42

Member
Aug 13, 2011
211
120
sydney
I bought a small blue star over two years ago, about four inches across to see whether I had enough food of the right kind to keep it. It's still alive but has atrophied significantly over the past year. I think they do everything slowly, including dying. I've decide to rehome it with someone who has a deep sand bed, keeps weed and softys, etc... its currently in a nutrient poor minimalist set up that also runs bare bottom. No wonder it's slowly starving. I believe they can be kept successfully if you have the right kind of system for them, which many of us don't. Three or four years for these guys is not an appropriate lifespan. More likely a long drawn out demise.

But not all Sea stars are like that eg a miniature multiflora is easy to keep, stays small, and frags itself regularly.

As for ethics, that's a hard one. Collectors need a ROI on their license and operating costs so usually collect stuff that's easy and in demand. Divers working for them are usually in part at least on commission. Why else outdoor would there be so many feather stars, large freestanding sponges, obligate corallivore butterflys, etc all for sale. This happens with the 'best' and worst collectors. Still, if you look at the big picture it's very sustainable. So, like many things, this issue is not as black and white as we like to think. It's also up to us to select organisms that are likely to survive.

Just my thoughts,
Angie
 

Wazza22

Member
Oct 3, 2015
116
50
Perth
I did read that one Wazza but thank you. Do you have one ? I did think that pairing that with trochus snails is a bit much based on what I have read and hence posed the question. That and the fact that I keep seeing some pretty wonderful stuff being posted for sale, a lot of which is by existing accounts at least, very hard if not impossible to keep but People may have had other experiences hence it was suggested or just because it is local and freely available ..maybe
Nah i dont have one mate as i also came to the same conclusion as you.
My CUC consist of Trochus, Nassarius and Strom snails and a sea cucumber
 

MagicJ

Moderator
Jul 11, 2011
9,650
3,761
Hobart, Tasmania
There is always someone that will be happy to tell you that they have successfully kept a blue linckia for many years, but I suspect that the vast majority slowly succumb over months/years before eventually disintegrating.

I'm not sure what the numbers may be now, but I remember a LFS owner telling me some time ago that only around 10% of customers belonged to any sort of reef club etc. Many hobbyists aren't interested enough to research their purchases and a nice bright blue starfish does look very appealing - should they be collected in relatively large numbers? IMO no, but I'm not in favour of many of the so called fancy clownfish now available (the genetics are being scrambled by large numbers of unthinking breeders) so each to their own :).