StarFish ID Help!

[LoneRanger]

this is off of Florida's East Coast- any chance these colorfull guys (or girls?) would do OK in a controled environment? (captivity) water temp is running closr to 72* now in the surf, and in another 6-8 weeks it should be in the 80's.


thanks!


L.R.

 

[LoneRanger]

#2

 

[LoneRanger]

#3 best shot of the color, GREAT looking starfish! purple/ blue insides and light Orange outlines.

 

[LoneRanger]

#4 this little guy was washed up on the beach, we found him a deep hole and tossed him back in!

L.R.

 

[LoneRanger]

Thanks again for any and all help!


L.R. 8)

 

[fyrefysh]

I bet you could keep it in an aquarium, but, I wouldn't keep it with any corals.

 

[MartinE]

I do not know the species of starfish you have, but the problem one has with them in captivity is how to keep them alive because of lack of food, or unknown food items, which would eventually kill the starfish.

 

[LoneRanger]

martin1042, thanks for the info, I do not know much of anything about saltwater aquariums, I have kept FW for years, and have a 55 gallon now which houses a small redbreast sunfish. I have been thinking of going saltwater though, as soon as I find out exactly how much equipment I might have to buy! 8O




I did not realize starfish were difficult to keep~ or that there appears to not be much known about them and thier diet-


thanks for the heads up!

L.R. 8)

 

[MartinE]

No problem! Your on the right track with trying saltwater read alot and ask questions alot. If you decide you want to go for it try reading a few of these books: The New Marine Aquarium-Mike Paletta and if you want something more in depth try The Marine Aquarium Series Vol. 1,2,3 by J. C. Delbeek and J. Sprung. Oh and in case no one said it
:welcome:

 

[Anonymous]

Welcome to RDO! Pick up a good book like Martin suggested, and double what you think your budget will be.

 

[LeslieH1]

That's Astropecten articulatus. It's lives in sandy areas & feeds on whatever it can find in the bottom. The problem is that it needs a constant supply of food & will rapidly deplete the inhabitants in a small sandbed, then starve.

 

[SnowManSnow]

Im thinking that if you put it in an aquarium it would start dying in a matter of a week and REALLY foul up your tank REALLLLY fast.

 

[LoneRanger]

LeslieH,that is great info!



could I keep replenishing the food source and possibly do ok? I mean they were mabey 4" across, really small guys.



L.R. 8)

 

[LeslieH1]

Maybe.... I have no experience with this and can only repeat what I've seen in forums or read in reef books. Even if you spot feed them every day they would still vacuum up the sand dwellers so there goes your clean-up crew.

 

[SnowManSnow]

not recommended to keep this guy but if you dont have much to loose.... why not i guess.. aside from the demise of the star fish.
b