Starfish I can't identify

BigAl07 · 03-02-2007, 09:51 PM

I have this lil TINY star fish in my tank that I can't identify. It just doesn't seem to exactly fit into the classes I have read about. It actually fits into several but not one specific. It's only about 1 or 1 1/2 " total. It's sort of red but sort of orange. Look at

I'm hooked :)
Post #20 and photo #5.

Any ideas? Anything "special" I need to do for this guy? What exactly does he eat?

Allen

XBwlr · 03-02-2007, 11:22 PM

Here's your pic...

Sorry... I don't know.

Woodstock · 03-02-2007, 11:59 PM

Ohh Boomer, where are you??

lcstorc · 03-03-2007, 09:50 AM

It is pretty cool looking whatever it is. I hope it is a good one.

Devilboy · 03-03-2007, 11:06 AM

I cant tell from the photo, does it have spiny or smooth legs and body?

BigAl07 · 03-03-2007, 01:38 PM

He's so little that he looks smooth but he's actually sort of bumpy. I don't know if they are literally "spiney" or not but he definitely has "things" protruding from his little legs. The LFS kept him for 3 weeks until the tank was "ready" for him so he's got a pretty good track record and he's a hoot to watch. I just need to know what kind he is in order to determine if he has any "special" needs or not.

Bwlr thanks for posting the pic. I went to post it and it wouldn't let me because I had already posted the pic in a previous thread. I guess it's just one of those "spam" criteria that I gotta learn. Sincerely thanks for posting it.

Allen

cheeks69 · 03-03-2007, 01:42 PM

Could be a Fromia sp. Have you ever tried to feed it any meaty items ?

Snelly40 · 03-03-2007, 01:50 PM

could be an orange linkia, hard to tell if those are spines though on the legs.

BigAl07 · 03-03-2007, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheeks69

Could be a Fromia sp. Have you ever tried to feed it any meaty items ?

I have not tried anything yet. The owner of the LFS thinks it's a linkia but wasn't sure. It came in a tank he purchased due to someone havnig a family "trajedy" and not being able to maintain the tank.

Are there any "behavioral" characteristics I can watch for? The LFS had him for over 3 weeks and he never fed it anything at all. He seems to be very happy (as far as I can tell since he has no FACE) and he looks healthy.

I saw at the LFS where they got a "linkia" in and he was inadvertantly exposed to air and he seemed to Melt in the tank over the course of about 3 hours. Is this normal? To "melt"?

My lil starfish was exposed to air a few times actually and at times during the day he actually exposes himself to the air. I have come home and seen one leg sticking out of the water and I have seen him put two legs perfectly parallel to the waters surface. So apparently not all of them are that sensitive to the air.

Later this evening I will try and take some more pics of him and post them if they have any additional details.

Thanks and have a GREAT one!

Allen

Devilboy · 03-03-2007, 06:26 PM

yes, its extremely bad to let starfish exposed to open air.

they will melt away.

Hmm... linckia species are algae eaters. maybe it is a linckia species.

Try to feed its something meaty and see if it takes it. I had a blue linckia in my 46g and tried several times to spot him my seafood blender mush that fed the fish and corals, and he wouldnt eat it.

BigAl07 · 03-04-2007, 08:24 PM

I can't say for sure but I think he's an algae eater. He seems to love to hang off of a petrified piece of coral that has a significant amount of algae growth on it.

lcstorc · 03-04-2007, 10:11 PM

Well I don't know anything about linkas, but my serpent star tries to get out of the tank every now and again. I have found him with 3/4 of his body out of the water. He was not trapped. He seemed perfectly happy there until I found him and freaked out. I moved him back in the tank and he is fine.

Devilboy · 03-04-2007, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lcstorc

Well I don't know anything about linkas, but my serpent star tries to get out of the tank every now and again. I have found him with 3/4 of his body out of the water. He was not trapped. He seemed perfectly happy there until I found him and freaked out. I moved him back in the tank and he is fine.

His legs are too thick to be a serpant star

BigAl07 · 03-05-2007, 08:03 AM

He seems to be doing just fine so whatever he's eating appears to be keeping him going. He does spend a LOT of time up at the waters edge but never really sticks OUT of the water more than just a tiny bit.

I did read something interesting last night online. It was an article about starfish and how they are very sensitive to envorinmental changes because their bodies can't compensate for sudden shifts around them. I think the researcher noted that (and this is going from memory only) "The starfish's chemical make up causes it to be especially intolerant of high levels of chemicals and it's been noted that very high levels of PH or Amonia have been known to cause the starfish to literally appear to melt like a jelly in the water. "

How horrible does that sound? Maybe the instance from a few weeks back where one of the new comers at LFS "melted" was more of a chemical reaction than O2 exposure. I'll mention this to him tomorrow.

Thanks for everyone's input. I'll just call him "John Doe Starfish" since the ID process isn't comin along and CSI wont accept the case without a body :rofl:

I guess as long as he appears to be healthy identification isn't as critical.

Allen

lcstorc · 03-05-2007, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Devilboy

His legs are too thick to be a serpant star

Yes I know. I was responding to the statement that the air hurts all starfish. It didn't hurt my serpent star, but may well hurt a linkia or some other star. Sorry I wasn't clear about what I was responding to.

03-02-2007, 09:51 PM	#1 (permalink)
BigAl07 Reef Addict (hopeless) Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 11,448 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Starfish I can't identify I have this lil TINY star fish in my tank that I can't identify. It just doesn't seem to exactly fit into the classes I have read about. It actually fits into several but not one specific. It's only about 1 or 1 1/2 " total. It's sort of red but sort of orange. Look at I'm hooked :) Post #20 and photo #5. Any ideas? Anything "special" I need to do for this guy? What exactly does he eat? Allen

03-02-2007, 11:22 PM	#2 (permalink)
XBwlr Elegance coral Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: I give up. Posts: 1,131 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Starfish I can't identify Here's your pic... Sorry... I don't know. __________________ ~Scott

03-02-2007, 11:59 PM	#3 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 23,199 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Starfish I can't identify Ohh Boomer, where are you?? __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* *My QT/Hospital Tank* ~120 Reef Chronicle ~ *~Breeding Picasso Clownfish~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 120 mixed reef, dual Reeflux 10k 250 MHs, dual Geiseman Actinic T5s,Neptune AC III, ASM g3, 2x Korallia #3, Mag 9.5 return

03-03-2007, 09:50 AM	#4 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 19,905 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Starfish I can't identify It is pretty cool looking whatever it is. I hope it is a good one. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back. In Loving Memory Of Z 01/22/07 - 08/19/08

03-03-2007, 11:06 AM	#5 (permalink)
Devilboy Serpent Star Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 202 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Starfish I can't identify I cant tell from the photo, does it have spiny or smooth legs and body? __________________ 75g RR w/20g sump, Panworld 50PX Return pump Reef Octopus NW200 Skimmer 50# Kaelini, 50# Marshall Island rock

03-03-2007, 01:38 PM	#6 (permalink)
BigAl07 Reef Addict (hopeless) Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 11,448 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Starfish I can't identify He's so little that he looks smooth but he's actually sort of bumpy. I don't know if they are literally "spiney" or not but he definitely has "things" protruding from his little legs. The LFS kept him for 3 weeks until the tank was "ready" for him so he's got a pretty good track record and he's a hoot to watch. I just need to know what kind he is in order to determine if he has any "special" needs or not. Bwlr thanks for posting the pic. I went to post it and it wouldn't let me because I had already posted the pic in a previous thread. I guess it's just one of those "spam" criteria that I gotta learn. Sincerely thanks for posting it. Allen

03-03-2007, 01:42 PM	#7 (permalink)
cheeks69 Wannabe Guru Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northeast Posts: 6,663 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Starfish I can't identify Could be a Fromia sp. Have you ever tried to feed it any meaty items ? __________________ Robert My Cube “A spirit is manifest in the laws of the Universe—a spirit vastly superior to that of man, and one in the face of which we with our modest powers must feel humble.” Albert Einstein

03-03-2007, 01:50 PM	#8 (permalink)
Snelly40 Golden Moray Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 2,797 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Starfish I can't identify could be an orange linkia, hard to tell if those are spines though on the legs. __________________ Snelly's 90gal Reef-O-Rama *Member-"Crabs Are Evil" Society* In Hoc Signo Vinces

03-03-2007, 06:26 PM	#10 (permalink)
Devilboy Serpent Star Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 202 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Starfish I can't identify yes, its extremely bad to let starfish exposed to open air. they will melt away. Hmm... linckia species are algae eaters. maybe it is a linckia species. Try to feed its something meaty and see if it takes it. I had a blue linckia in my 46g and tried several times to spot him my seafood blender mush that fed the fish and corals, and he wouldnt eat it. __________________ 75g RR w/20g sump, Panworld 50PX Return pump Reef Octopus NW200 Skimmer 50# Kaelini, 50# Marshall Island rock

03-04-2007, 08:24 PM	#11 (permalink)
BigAl07 Reef Addict (hopeless) Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 11,448 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Starfish I can't identify I can't say for sure but I think he's an algae eater. He seems to love to hang off of a petrified piece of coral that has a significant amount of algae growth on it.

03-04-2007, 10:11 PM	#12 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 19,905 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Starfish I can't identify Well I don't know anything about linkas, but my serpent star tries to get out of the tank every now and again. I have found him with 3/4 of his body out of the water. He was not trapped. He seemed perfectly happy there until I found him and freaked out. I moved him back in the tank and he is fine. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back. In Loving Memory Of Z 01/22/07 - 08/19/08

03-05-2007, 08:03 AM	#14 (permalink)
BigAl07 Reef Addict (hopeless) Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 11,448 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Starfish I can't identify He seems to be doing just fine so whatever he's eating appears to be keeping him going. He does spend a LOT of time up at the waters edge but never really sticks OUT of the water more than just a tiny bit. I did read something interesting last night online. It was an article about starfish and how they are very sensitive to envorinmental changes because their bodies can't compensate for sudden shifts around them. I think the researcher noted that (and this is going from memory only) "The starfish's chemical make up causes it to be especially intolerant of high levels of chemicals and it's been noted that very high levels of PH or Amonia have been known to cause the starfish to literally appear to melt like a jelly in the water. " How horrible does that sound? Maybe the instance from a few weeks back where one of the new comers at LFS "melted" was more of a chemical reaction than O2 exposure. I'll mention this to him tomorrow. Thanks for everyone's input. I'll just call him "*John Doe Starfish" since the ID process isn't comin along and CSI* wont accept the case without a body :rofl: I guess as long as he appears to be healthy identification isn't as critical. Allen

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