Only 1 Starfish?

[vfg10]

hi
I have a friend that likes starfish and she want to now what does she needs to have only 1 starfish
she only whats the basic just to keep the starfish alive
is this possible ??
any info is great

thanks

 

[ben1987]

Star fish dont tend to do very well in captivity at all, most of them grow BIG aswel.

 

[AK77]

As Ben rightly says, on the whole, starfish don't do well in captivity. Most starve to death due to being kept in aquariums that are too small or too immature to support their diet. They often develop wounds for no apparent reason and slowly disintergrate over a number of weeks, by which time hermits and shrimps often prey upon them.

Its not impossible to keep them but in an immature tank, and/or one smaller than 4-5ft, you will most likey require target feeding the creature. Again this can be problematic as other tank inhabitants like hermit crabs and shrimps, which move much faster than starfish, will steal the food intended for them. It also depends on the species of starfish too as some are easier to care for than others. Some are sand-sifters and will look for sustinance in the gravel. Others are grazers and will consume algae whereas some species are more opportunistic scavengers.

How big is your friends tank? What type of tank is it (fish only, fish only with live rock, or a reef tank)? What species of starfish is she interested in?

 

[-Nemo-]

As Ben rightly says, on the whole, starfish don't do well in captivity. Most starve to death due to being kept in aquariums that are too small or too immature to support their diet. They often develop wounds for no apparent reason and slowly disintergrate over a number of weeks, by which time hermits and shrimps often prey upon them.

Its not impossible to keep them but in an immature tank, and/or one smaller than 4-5ft, you will most likey require target feeding the creature. Again this can be problematic as other tank inhabitants like hermit crabs and shrimps, which move much faster than starfish, will steal the food intended for them. It also depends on the species of starfish too as some are easier to care for than others. Some are sand-sifters and will look for sustinance in the gravel. Others are grazers and will consume algae whereas some species are more opportunistic scavengers.

How big is your friends tank? What type of tank is it (fish only, fish only with live rock, or a reef tank)? What species of starfish is she interested in?

AK: In general, which would you say is best kept in captivity (in regards to survival and easiness of providing it food) ?

 

[AK77]

As Ben rightly says, on the whole, starfish don't do well in captivity. Most starve to death due to being kept in aquariums that are too small or too immature to support their diet. They often develop wounds for no apparent reason and slowly disintergrate over a number of weeks, by which time hermits and shrimps often prey upon them.

Its not impossible to keep them but in an immature tank, and/or one smaller than 4-5ft, you will most likey require target feeding the creature. Again this can be problematic as other tank inhabitants like hermit crabs and shrimps, which move much faster than starfish, will steal the food intended for them. It also depends on the species of starfish too as some are easier to care for than others. Some are sand-sifters and will look for sustinance in the gravel. Others are grazers and will consume algae whereas some species are more opportunistic scavengers.

How big is your friends tank? What type of tank is it (fish only, fish only with live rock, or a reef tank)? What species of starfish is she interested in?

AK: In general, which would you say is best kept in captivity (in regards to survival and easiness of providing it food) ?

Probably the brittles as they tend to move faster and have a varied diet. They also seem to be able to get into impossible spaces to reach food too. Pin cushions also seem to do relavtively well. I have both in my nano (albeit baby ones) that came in on the LR and they seem to have survived without any help from myself.

Its species like the linkia that usually fall foul of captivity. They usually last for about 6 months before starving to death or developing the open wounds. People unwittingly put them in tanks that are too small to support their diet and because their demise in health isnt as apparent as a fishes, they assume its doing fine on its own, when in fact it is slowly starving to death or becoming malnourished and its immune system weakening, which probably gives rise to the wounds they develop.

As Ben says, they can also grow very large, so the baby or young starfish may do very well for up to a year or more, then as the reach adulthood, there isn't enough food to support them, which is why I wouldn't keep one again in a tank smaller than 4-5ft.

 

[vfg10]

hi thanks for the reply and well my friend does not have a tank she doesn't have any equipment at all.

she have never even have a tropical tanks so I think is to complicated for her I'll try to change her mind of getting a starfish.

I don't a starfish to suffer

thanks

 

[AK77]

Fob her off with a goldfish lol .

A tank for just a starfish would be extreme in terms of cost.

For a decent sized tank to house a starfish into adulthood, she'd be looking at least about £250-£300 new, live rock for the tank would probably be in the region of £150. Heaters, power heads, lighting, and all the other equipment. She'd be looking at something in the region of £500.

Take her down petsmart and get her a nice ranchu gold fish

 

[ben1987]

she would be better keeping a pair of clown fish rather than a star fish

 

[vfg10]

lol yes next time a see her all tell her that shes better off getting a gold fish or something more easy to keep maybe a Betta in a decent tank and she will get an idea of taking care of fish

tanks for the reply

 

[AK77]

lol yes next time a see her all tell her that shes better off getting a gold fish or something more easy to keep maybe a Betta in a decent tank and she will get an idea of taking care of fish

tanks for the reply

Keeping tropical fish can be hard enough for someone who's never done it before. Marines are even more involved, so at the risk of killing something needlessly, she'd do well to start somewhere far simpler or spend a good few weeks reading various books and forums and asking questions, before she decided to venture into the hobby.