Star Fish For A 10g Nano?

[kev_kb]

Hi all,

I'm starting a nano that is 10g (UK), I have the tank and some live rock but I'm still in the research stage as far stocking goes. I know very little about them, but I would really like to keep a star fish in it. Are there any that stay small and would be suitable for a nano reef?

Thanks

 

[bunjiweb]

The only starfish that are suitable for this size of tank really are the small brittle stars that should come on good quality live-rock. Some of them can grow to a few inches across and are general detrius feeders so are easy to keep.

Other star fish such as the common red and blues as well as sand sifters generally need a continuous source of food which just isn't possible in a tank this small really. I have seen some people attempt it in a very mature nano, but even then they usually get malnourished and die.

You could possibly think about an urchin of some kind, possibly a coraline algae eating pencil urchin, although these you have to be careful with as they may knock over small coral frags or move equipment in a small nano. I have maintained a beautiful Red-Slate Pencil Urchin that was originally about 1" across that is now twice the size in only a month and a half! It is a very flat urchin and so does very little damage, gliding across "open" live rock and the glass to graze on coraline. I may move him to my bigger nano as he appears to be totally in-destuctive to corals and only eats coraline algae, of which I have lots in my "bigger" tank.

Ben

 

[steelhealr]

Please..please...no sea stars in a nano tank. There is absolutely no way that a sea star can survive in the amount of volume that is the equivalent of a thimble of water. Brittles as above, perhaps. Almost all stars will starve to death in a nano tank. Please think twice about this. SH