New Live Rock and Mushrooms

[PiscesGirl]

I just bought some live rock and it came with lots of mushrooms and a small group of green colored zoo's.

A few other things that I don't know what they are??

Anyway will my choc. chip starfish eat the mushrooms? I have some xenia and it hasn't touched that....but I didn't know if shrooms were different.

THANKS!

[Gina]

Don't know anything about them personally but, here's some info I found for you.
The only thing I know is that people buy them to feed to their Harlequins.

http://www.columbuszoo.org/animalare...s/seastar.html

[KMP]

Here's what the book says:

Maximum Size: Protoreaster Nodosus to 5 in across; P. lincki to 12 in across.

Range: Indo Pacific

Minimum Aquarium Size: Large tanks, 100 gal or larger.

Lighting: Immaterial

Foods and Feeding: Reported to feed on sponges in nature.

Aquarium Stability/Reef Aquarium Compatibility: Not suitable for reef tanks. May eat sessile invertibrates, including soft corals, stony corals, and sea anemones.

Captive Care: These species often do poorlyin the aquarium; some don't eat at all or eat inappropriate foods that do not provide complete nutrition. Most die of malnutrition. Their stiff, spinous bodies prevent them from getting into the rockwork in search of food. Both species have five relatively stiff rays ith a smooth, almost featureless epidermis from which rises a series of large, evident spines. Chocolate-chip stars are tan or light brown with large, blunt, dark brown spines. The spines of the orange to palegreen red-spinedstarts are brilliant red, sharp, and have a netwwork of low red ridges connecting them. Few other aquarium animals will bother them.

[BoomerD]

From Bob Fenner's WWM:
"Much less desirable, but commonly offered and attractive are the "knobbed" Sea Stars, Family Oreasteridae of the genera Protoreastor, Pentaster and Pentaceastor. They are distinguished by having dull spines, bumps or knobbles on their dorsal surfaces, with these often seen in colors that contrast with their overall body pigmentation. Sold under names like Red-Knobbed, Chocolate Chip, and other labels, these species are hardy but aggressive feeders, more than happy to mount and consume sessile clams, oysters and all manner of corals, soft and stony."

Another "Knobby" species, the Chocolate Chip Star, Protoreastor nodosus at a wholesalers and close up in N. Sulawesi. An opportunistic omnivore on other invertebrates. Found widely throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific. Select for smaller 2-3 inch specimens and keep them well fed. "

From MarineDepotLive:
"Diet: Carnivore.
Feeding: It likes to eat Eats meathy bits of seafood and detritus. Also will eat corals, anemones, urchins, crustaceans, small fish and anything else it can catch..
Behavior: The Protoreastor nodosus is generally aggressive toward other tankmates."
This species is hardy but is an aggressive feeder and will be more than happy to mount and consume sessile invertebrates including clams, urchins, oysters, anemones, and all manner of corals (soft and stony). Is also known to prey on sleeping, slow or weak fish. If it can catch it, it will eat it. This species is best kept for eating detritus in fish only systems as this is what it is best suited for."

[iluvzigz]

sounds like a bunch of nasty creatures that i would like to keep FAR from my tank..

[PiscesGirl]

Thanks So Much For The Info!!!!!!