Passion Flower Feather Star?

Nigma · 09-19-2009, 02:45 AM

i just saw one of those at my LFS the other week... and i am just wondering if anyone knows anything about those guys? what they eat? r they poisons? are they friendly to fish/inverts/coral/other starfish?

it looked like something that crawled out of a nightmare.

lcstorc · 09-19-2009, 09:39 AM

Don't buy it!!!!!
They are almost impossible to keep and should be left in the ocean!!!

Nigma · 09-19-2009, 08:46 PM

yeah there is no way i am buying it, i just wanted some info on it

Bongo Shrimp · 09-21-2009, 10:30 PM

I can tell you a bit about them but I don't recommend you buy it. I have a feather star that is almost 2 years old. It is almost impossible to determine what they eat as every one eats something different. I got mine from someone who had had it for a while and discovered that it eats cyclopeeze- and boy does it ever. We (my LFS who hooked me up with it) aren't sure if it needs phyto so I also does it as well. Other than that I just keep the water quality PERFECT 24/7 365.

Pics:

Like I said, I know what he eats, his former owner, and that he has been in captivity for a while. I don't recommend just anyone buy one as they are too finicky. I look at them as beyond "expert only". You need lots of luck to keep one healthy. A different LFS other than the one the hooked me up with the star has had one for 16 years- yes there is proof in the form of old photos and word of mouth. So it is possible to keep them but you need luck and knowledge of the specific specimen.

BTW- Could you get a pic of it at the store if it is still there? It's just so rare to see them especially the really colorful ones. And also be sure to look real close at the arms to see if there are any commensal shrimp that only live with that specific type of feather star.

sambrinar · 09-21-2009, 11:23 PM

Wow it's really pretty though, congrats on your success!!

Nigma · 09-22-2009, 01:51 AM

indeed that looks very cool, the one at the store was mostly dark red color, not much other than that....
it was Huge though.. it was about maybe 6-8".... yeah i hope later on, once i level up on experience i would get to keep one.

i just never knew it even existed.

magnum · 10-24-2009, 08:57 PM

I think I just got hosed. I just got back from my LFS. I saw this thing that I had never seen before and fell in love with it. They told me it was a Feather Star and that it would do fine in my tank. I always do my home work before adding something new to the tank. This time I took there word for it. I acclimated it to the tank and started doing my homework. (cart before the horse I know) The feater star is a beautiful deep red and I guess I need to start experimenting with some different food. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

lcstorc · 10-25-2009, 04:35 PM

Good luck with it.
I would try anything and everything small and see if you can figure it out.
The story above is great but definitely not the norm. Since Bongo has had luck with cyclopeze, I would certainly try that. I would try the frozen first and bring it up to tank temp.
Since you already have it you can only do the best that you can.

Clownfish518 · 10-25-2009, 05:23 PM

Feather stars are all obligate feeders - which means that each species will eat only one species of plankton. It is virtually impossible to know what each one will eat and long term success in your tank is unlikely. They should be left in the ocean.,

magnum · 10-25-2009, 11:00 PM

I am doing as much homework as possible. I went back to the LFS today to see if I could return it. Obviously they said NO I told them I felt I was miss led but they stuck to their guns. I know it is nobody's fault but mine for not doing my home work first. I will start trying some different foods to see if I hit on one that it will eat. they did not have the cyclopeeze but they gave me something else that they claim was very good (roti feast) cost $20.00 for 6oz I hope it works. I am afraid of over feeding and getting an algae bloom. Does anybody know if I should use a turkey baster and feed directly to the feater star or is adding it to the water good enough?

Reefmack · 10-25-2009, 11:15 PM

Not the greatest LFS! Good luck with the roti feast. So little is really known about these animals that it can't be said what they will and won't eat. It may surprise you and it may be able to subsist on several types of fine particulate foods.

magnum · 10-25-2009, 11:21 PM

I posted A photo so you can see what I am talking about.

Nigma · 10-26-2009, 06:29 AM

looks very cool, hope u can find the right food for it

smoothie · 11-03-2009, 02:22 AM

There have been a few of these in stores lately. A few guys in Atlanta have posted that they had bought these and the lfs told them they would be fine.
Of course they start falling apart and dying within weeks

BigAl07 · 11-03-2009, 10:01 AM

magnum I would make it a point to not set foot in that LFS again and anyone I knew in the hobby would hear "My Story" about them. That's just terrible of them and they don't deserve your hard earned money since they are apparently not trustworthy.

Hopefully you can find the right combination to keep this one healthy and thriving long-term.

09-19-2009, 02:45 AM	#1 (permalink)
Nigma Midas Blenny Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: California Posts: 105 View Gallery Karma Komment	Passion Flower Feather Star? i just saw one of those at my LFS the other week... and i am just wondering if anyone knows anything about those guys? what they eat? r they poisons? are they friendly to fish/inverts/coral/other starfish? it looked like something that crawled out of a nightmare.

09-19-2009, 09:39 AM	#2 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 26,437 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Passion Flower Feather Star? Don't buy it!!!!! They are almost impossible to keep and should be left in the ocean!!! __________________ Peace LYNN Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Lynn's frag tank experiment A reef tank is like a race car. The faster you go the harder you crash.

09-19-2009, 08:46 PM	#3 (permalink)
Nigma Midas Blenny Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: California Posts: 105 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Passion Flower Feather Star? yeah there is no way i am buying it, i just wanted some info on it

09-21-2009, 10:30 PM	#4 (permalink)
Bongo Shrimp Fire Coral Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 68 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Passion Flower Feather Star? I can tell you a bit about them but I don't recommend you buy it. I have a feather star that is almost 2 years old. It is almost impossible to determine what they eat as every one eats something different. I got mine from someone who had had it for a while and discovered that it eats cyclopeeze- and boy does it ever. We (my LFS who hooked me up with it) aren't sure if it needs phyto so I also does it as well. Other than that I just keep the water quality PERFECT 24/7 365. Pics: Like I said, I know what he eats, his former owner, and that he has been in captivity for a while. I don't recommend just anyone buy one as they are too finicky. I look at them as beyond "expert only". You need lots of luck to keep one healthy. A different LFS other than the one the hooked me up with the star has had one for 16 years- yes there is proof in the form of old photos and word of mouth. So it is possible to keep them but you need luck and knowledge of the specific specimen. BTW- Could you get a pic of it at the store if it is still there? It's just so rare to see them especially the really colorful ones. And also be sure to look real close at the arms to see if there are any commensal shrimp that only live with that specific type of feather star.

09-21-2009, 11:23 PM	#5 (permalink)
sambrinar recovering overfeeder Join Date: May 2008 Location: Arizona Posts: 6,420 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Passion Flower Feather Star? Wow it's really pretty though, congrats on your success!! __________________ Brenda Those who dance are considered insane by those who cannot hear the music ~ George Carlin Original member of http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...eef-holic.html My addiction 75 gal glass http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ce-sanity.html

09-22-2009, 01:51 AM	#6 (permalink)
Nigma Midas Blenny Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: California Posts: 105 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Passion Flower Feather Star? indeed that looks very cool, the one at the store was mostly dark red color, not much other than that.... it was Huge though.. it was about maybe 6-8".... yeah i hope later on, once i level up on experience i would get to keep one. i just never knew it even existed.

10-24-2009, 08:57 PM	#7 (permalink)
magnum Fire Coral Join Date: May 2009 Location: New York Posts: 69 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Passion Flower Feather Star? I think I just got hosed. I just got back from my LFS. I saw this thing that I had never seen before and fell in love with it. They told me it was a Feather Star and that it would do fine in my tank. I always do my home work before adding something new to the tank. This time I took there word for it. I acclimated it to the tank and started doing my homework. (cart before the horse I know) The feater star is a beautiful deep red and I guess I need to start experimenting with some different food. Any suggestions would be appreciated. __________________ I am going out to find my self. If you see me before I get back, keep me here.

10-25-2009, 04:35 PM	#8 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 26,437 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Passion Flower Feather Star? Good luck with it. I would try anything and everything small and see if you can figure it out. The story above is great but definitely not the norm. Since Bongo has had luck with cyclopeze, I would certainly try that. I would try the frozen first and bring it up to tank temp. Since you already have it you can only do the best that you can. __________________ Peace LYNN Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Lynn's frag tank experiment A reef tank is like a race car. The faster you go the harder you crash.

10-25-2009, 05:23 PM	#9 (permalink)
Clownfish518 Razorback Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Bentonville, Arkansas Posts: 1,546 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Passion Flower Feather Star? Feather stars are all obligate feeders - which means that each species will eat only one species of plankton. It is virtually impossible to know what each one will eat and long term success in your tank is unlikely. They should be left in the ocean., __________________ Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem - William of Ockham

10-25-2009, 11:00 PM	#10 (permalink)
magnum Fire Coral Join Date: May 2009 Location: New York Posts: 69 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Passion Flower Feather Star? I am doing as much homework as possible. I went back to the LFS today to see if I could return it. Obviously they said NO I told them I felt I was miss led but they stuck to their guns. I know it is nobody's fault but mine for not doing my home work first. I will start trying some different foods to see if I hit on one that it will eat. they did not have the cyclopeeze but they gave me something else that they claim was very good (roti feast) cost $20.00 for 6oz I hope it works. I am afraid of over feeding and getting an algae bloom. Does anybody know if I should use a turkey baster and feed directly to the feater star or is adding it to the water good enough? __________________ I am going out to find my self. If you see me before I get back, keep me here.

10-25-2009, 11:15 PM	#11 (permalink)
Reefmack NaClH2O Addicted Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Charlotte, NC, USA Posts: 6,160 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Passion Flower Feather Star? Not the greatest LFS! Good luck with the roti feast. So little is really known about these animals that it can't be said what they will and won't eat. It may surprise you and it may be able to subsist on several types of fine particulate foods. __________________ aka Terry Excellence in reefkeeping is achieved by mastering the fundamentals, and learning from mistakes. No such thing as an evil crab. Only humans have the ability to be evil. "If you don't like what your fellow forum neighbors are doing, then don't pay so much attention to them" 34g Red Sea Max 130 (April 07), ~50-60 lbs. live rock, Aragonite substrate. Lighting: Current USA Outer Orbit Pro - 150W HQI, 2 x 24W Blue Plus T5 HO Fluorescent by ATI, 2 x 24W Super Actinic T5 HO Fluorescent by UVL, Vortech MP20, LifeReef RSM Siphon, EShopps RS-75 Sump, Euro-Reef custom sump skimmer, Simplicity media reactor, Tunze Osmolator ATO, ReefKeeper Lite L3 controller Reefmack's RSM 130 and...Red Sea Max Owners Club and My JBJ 6G in this thread[/color][/i]

10-25-2009, 11:21 PM	#12 (permalink)
magnum Fire Coral Join Date: May 2009 Location: New York Posts: 69 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Passion Flower Feather Star? I posted A photo so you can see what I am talking about. __________________ I am going out to find my self. If you see me before I get back, keep me here.

10-26-2009, 06:29 AM	#13 (permalink)
Nigma Midas Blenny Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: California Posts: 105 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Passion Flower Feather Star? looks very cool, hope u can find the right food for it

11-03-2009, 02:22 AM	#14 (permalink)
smoothie Bryozoan Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Valdosta GA Posts: 42 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Passion Flower Feather Star? There have been a few of these in stores lately. A few guys in Atlanta have posted that they had bought these and the lfs told them they would be fine. Of course they start falling apart and dying within weeks

11-03-2009, 10:01 AM	#15 (permalink)
BigAl07 Do I look as lost as I am Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 21,549 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Passion Flower Feather Star? magnum I would make it a point to not set foot in that LFS again and anyone I knew in the hobby would hear "My Story" about them. That's just terrible of them and they don't deserve your hard earned money since they are apparently not trustworthy. Hopefully you can find the right combination to keep this one healthy and thriving long-term. __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Live Rock Rubble will do the SAME thing as Bio-Balls and is NOT a suitable replacement for BIO-BALLS in a Reef System! It's ALL gotta go!!* Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Allen's home-made formula...currentNO3-((%WC.01)currentNO3)=finalNO3 (thanks Luukosian) This means if you change 50% of your total water volume (That's EVERYTHING) you'll get a net reduction of (NO3) somewhere around 50%. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Gone but not forgotten BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef

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