Blue Linckia Sea Star... EATING????

[Edd13]

from what i have read noone really knows what they eat and say they generally live only a few months.
I have had mine going on a year and a half never spot feeding it just letting cruz around the tank ... i figured it was eating detrius or algee or something...

tonight I found it on the glass eating a small star (Algee eating type):bugout:

here is a pic of it....................

 

[Edd13]

the linkia just moved on ... so i inspected the small star ... what was left was a hollow husk that rolled up like an empty gritty bag

 

[framerguy]

Very nice. It IS unusual to see one live as long as yours, congratulations. Job well done!

 

[Edd13]

here is a pic of what was left ... i tried to stieghten it out with a tooth pick but it just got worse...

 

[AQTCJAK]

I think maybe ed found the missing link to survival of tha lankia in our tanks

 

[blue_eyes53813]

I have had a blue linkia for about 4 years.. I have no idea what it eats but it must be finding a lot to eat because it is a fat fella. Sometimes I see it on the glass which a always assumed it was eating the brown thin dusting of algae. Most times it is wedged in the smallest spots possible cleaning the rocks. I do have alot of those little white stars in my tank.. It must be feeding on them as well.

 

[Melanie]

Thank you for sharing that great capture! I have read that they are nearly impossible to maintain. hma has one as well and I'm interested to hear what he thinks they eat.

 

[framerguy]

I do have alot of those little white stars in my tank.. It must be feeding on them as well.

HMMMM...maybe there is something here!? Since nobody REALLY knows what there diet is, this is a possible breakthrough. Tiny white stars = blue linckia health? I know the little stars come in on LR, but is there any other source for them?

 

[Edd13]

i really don't know if there is another way to get more... i have some in the tank i see from time to time but most i find in the sump ... my next question is if they eat these ... would they eat the small SPS eating stars as well:willis: ... it would be awesome if it did:invisible

 

[AQTCJAK]

I would think so edd. I also know that if you have those little stars unless you have a very fast predator like a harliquin they will be an abundance of them

 

[kathywithbirds]

I would think so edd. I also know that if you have those little stars unless you have a very fast predator like a harliquin they will be an abundance of them

Those are astreas, right, the little ones? I've seen one or two a couple of times... so if I read you right, they're like roaches, where there's a few there's a ton you don't see?

 

[Edd13]

sorry kathy for the late post :smck: ... still getting used to the speed of this site

there are quite a few astreas spicies from what i under stand... the one in my pic is a harmless algee one ... but ... i understand there are agressive coral eating ones also

 

[PureDezigner]

from what i have read noone really knows what they eat and say they generally live only a few months.
I have had mine going on a year and a half never spot feeding it just letting cruz around the tank ... i figured it was eating detrius or algee or something...

tonight I found it on the glass eating a small star (Algee eating type):bugout:

here is a pic of it....................

What size tank do you have? I just set up a 75gal and was thinking of getting one of these guys. After some research I'm starting to have second thoughts.

 

[tnwillia]

These guys list live astreas down towards the bottom of the page but each time I've tried to order from them the primary item I was after was not available. Good luck!

: : : : Indo-Pacific Sea Farms : : : :

 

[Mekanik]

very interesting - I always wondered the same.. never had a linkia live very long here either. Off and on have seen the small algae eating stars here too.
Thanks for the pictures and posting