Rescued Seastars (ID needed)

[Anonymous]

Matt, why can't you return it to the ocean?

Well I'm sure one could return it to the ocean and it would be fine. It just seems irresponsible to me, for the reasons bleedingthought mentioned.

There could be a larva of a Pacific red bug that decimates A. palmata on the starfish when it goes back in. There could be a larva of some weird flatworm, starfish, worm, crab, etc. that isn't found in the Caribbean and eats, I don't know, royal grammas or something.

Ah. ok. precautionary, huh? Like lionfish spawn or something like that?

 

[Anonymous]

Matt, why can't you return it to the ocean?

Well I'm sure one could return it to the ocean and it would be fine. It just seems irresponsible to me, for the reasons bleedingthought mentioned.

There could be a larva of a Pacific red bug that decimates A. palmata on the starfish when it goes back in. There could be a larva of some weird flatworm, starfish, worm, crab, etc. that isn't found in the Caribbean and eats, I don't know, royal grammas or something.

Ah. ok. precautionary, huh? Like lionfish spawn or something like that?

Yeah, or a Caulerpa spore, or a parasite of Linckia stars that Caribbean stars don't have any kind of defense against. The possibilities are endless. Admittedly the risk is infinitesimally small but we can't just go around telling everyone it's okay to toss stuff back into the ocean after it's been exposed to non-native species.

 

[blackcloudmedia]

So this morning I woke up and one of the stars was walking around, pretty fast if I might say. Anyways I offered him a piece of shrimp and he cordially accepted. I think its safe to say they are tameable. They are too slow anyways to catch one of the fish or hermits. My snails never go on the sand and the stars seem to HATE the rocks.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, do let us know how this works out long term for ya!