StarFish ID Please!
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Invertebrates
Forum Description: This is the place to ask questions about invertebrates.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=66301
Printed Date: March 04 2026 at 4:44pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: StarFish ID Please!
Posted By: justchillinuno
Subject: StarFish ID Please!
Date Posted: August 29 2013 at 12:56pm
|
Hello, I am obsessed with Orange... Thus bought this guy recently because it was the most amazing starfish i have seen! Does anyone know what it actually is? Please let me know i've been trying to find it on the net without luck! Thanks in advanced! Justin http://s51.photobucket.com/user/justchillinuno/media/Starfish/outsidestar_zpsbb15cf1b.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">  http://s51.photobucket.com/user/justchillinuno/media/Starfish/starunderbelly_zpsf18c540f.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">  ------------- 55g - RIP - Moved to 90g 36g Bow holding tank 90g Reef Tank Dreams of many more! |
Replies:
Posted By: BobC63
Date Posted: August 29 2013 at 1:23pm
|
I have the same one.
I was told that it is called a "Florida Common Starfish"; but when I googled it, none of the photos look exactly like what I have.
My wife called it a "Halloween starfish", which I thought fit the black body / bright orange bumps & feet look better...
One good thing is, I picked this up from Live Rock N Reef back in January - and it is still doing great!
------------- - My Current Tank: 65g Starfire (sitting empty for 2+ years) - * Marine & Reef tanks since 1977 * |
Posted By: justchillinuno
Date Posted: August 29 2013 at 1:25pm
|
Awesome I got mine at LRR as well about 2 weeks ago, Named it Houdini as he disappears a lot lol. Any tips on keeping it happy? ------------- 55g - RIP - Moved to 90g 36g Bow holding tank 90g Reef Tank Dreams of many more! |
Posted By: BobC63
Date Posted: August 29 2013 at 1:27pm
|
I really have not had to do anything special for it.
I feed my tank well, but I don't feed the starfish directly. ------------- - My Current Tank: 65g Starfire (sitting empty for 2+ years) - * Marine & Reef tanks since 1977 * |
Posted By: justchillinuno
Date Posted: August 29 2013 at 1:28pm
|
Thanks for the info! ------------- 55g - RIP - Moved to 90g 36g Bow holding tank 90g Reef Tank Dreams of many more! |
Posted By: Lewy
Date Posted: August 29 2013 at 7:06pm
|
how big is that guy? ------------- 40 gal w/ 20 sump |
Posted By: BobC63
Date Posted: August 29 2013 at 8:27pm
|
They are about 3 - 4 inches from tip of one arm to the other ------------- - My Current Tank: 65g Starfire (sitting empty for 2+ years) - * Marine & Reef tanks since 1977 * |
Posted By: Dan9554880
Date Posted: August 29 2013 at 11:34pm
|
I've have talk to them a lot about that starfish and they say that there is no special need for them, that they will just eat the ditrious on the sand and rocks as well algea on the glass. They called it Florida common star Also I've wanted to know for how long did you guys acclimated it for? ------------- 210 Mixed Reef 20 Nuvo nano reef Learn your tank, not the hobby |
Posted By: justchillinuno
Date Posted: August 30 2013 at 9:06am
|
I acclimated it for at least an hour, with 1/3 cup water adding every 5 minutes, It is about 4 inchs from tip to tip! Love this guy absolute favorite in the Tank! ------------- 55g - RIP - Moved to 90g 36g Bow holding tank 90g Reef Tank Dreams of many more! |
Posted By: BobC63
Date Posted: August 30 2013 at 9:21am
|
I picked mine up about 1 in the afternoon, and didn't get it home until about 7 at night. I floated it 15 minutes, opened the bag, added 1 cup of tank water, waited 10 more minutes.
In my tank, my starfish's body is close to jet black; and it really sets off the orange bumps on the skin (hence the 'halloween' nickname)
------------- - My Current Tank: 65g Starfire (sitting empty for 2+ years) - * Marine & Reef tanks since 1977 * |
Posted By: justchillinuno
Date Posted: August 30 2013 at 2:29pm
|
Bob, No pics no proof! lol ------------- 55g - RIP - Moved to 90g 36g Bow holding tank 90g Reef Tank Dreams of many more! |
Posted By: PokyReefs
Date Posted: August 30 2013 at 2:59pm
| haha pics or it didnt happen bob! :D |
Posted By: BobC63
Date Posted: August 31 2013 at 10:36pm
|
Fair enough! Here's a pic:  You can see the body is a darker black than the black overflow To see the rest of the tank, go here: http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=65888&title=the-new-90" rel="nofollow - utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=65888&title=the-new-90 |
Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: September 01 2013 at 7:05am
|
That guy is cool! -------------  |
Posted By: arthuriv
Date Posted: September 06 2013 at 12:49am
|
They are Asterias forbesi starfish and not commonly considered to be reef safe but are beautiful starfish and in my opinion worth the risk as they are only considered not reef safe because they will sometimes eat inverts and clams. ------------- Quality Marines Aquaculturing & Captive Breeding program! Presented by Ashley & Chelsea from Reef On Thursday 6 Oct 2016 |
Posted By: justchillinuno
Date Posted: September 09 2013 at 10:26am
|
in researching the - asterias forbes - i have not found any that are Black with Orange spots.... Thus making me thing its a different type. Has anyone found a direct location of a picture with description? If this guy is not reef safe he will be moving into my 36g Bow thats F/O.... ------------- 55g - RIP - Moved to 90g 36g Bow holding tank 90g Reef Tank Dreams of many more! |
Posted By: BobC63
Date Posted: September 09 2013 at 10:40am
|
IMO they are prefectly 'reef safe'...
I have had mine in for 9 months with over 75 different corals, a large clam, 2 flame scallops, dozens of smaller snails and hermits, 2 tiger conches, over 20 fish - and it has not bothered a single thing.
I would not worry at all.
------------- - My Current Tank: 65g Starfire (sitting empty for 2+ years) - * Marine & Reef tanks since 1977 * |
Posted By: justchillinuno
Date Posted: September 09 2013 at 10:58am
 Thanks for the info Bob. Bout to upgrade tanks from 55g to the 90g we have... just planning on who will stay where!thanks for the info! ------------- 55g - RIP - Moved to 90g 36g Bow holding tank 90g Reef Tank Dreams of many more! |
Posted By: arthuriv
Date Posted: September 09 2013 at 12:06pm
I buy these through my wholesale supplier all the time and they are "asterias forbesi" and are not considered reef safe only because they have a tendency to eat inverts and small clams but with that said I still keep them in my reef as have the customers I sold them too. Honestly if they are eating the snails who is going to notice unless you catch them in the act as snails disappear on a normal bases anyways. ------------- Quality Marines Aquaculturing & Captive Breeding program! Presented by Ashley & Chelsea from Reef On Thursday 6 Oct 2016 |
justchillinuno wrote:Posted By: justchillinuno
Date Posted: September 09 2013 at 12:28pm
|
Thanks for the info! ------------- 55g - RIP - Moved to 90g 36g Bow holding tank 90g Reef Tank Dreams of many more! |
Posted By: justchillinuno
Date Posted: September 19 2013 at 9:48am
|
SO... I have noticed this lil guy hovering over my polyp's for a couple days... I grabbed him with my tank grabber thing and moved him aside yesterday morning, then... last night while my lights were on I noticed that the Polyps were not opening where the base/mouth of the starfish was.... Im suspecting that the starfish ATE some of my polyps as some are no longer opening and appear to have lost there tips! Anyone else notice this with these??? Are my softies in danger? ------------- 55g - RIP - Moved to 90g 36g Bow holding tank 90g Reef Tank Dreams of many more! |
Posted By: BobC63
Date Posted: September 19 2013 at 10:03am
|
What kind of polyps? ------------- - My Current Tank: 65g Starfire (sitting empty for 2+ years) - * Marine & Reef tanks since 1977 * |
Posted By: justchillinuno
Date Posted: September 19 2013 at 10:09am
|
Reverse spacemans... I think... ------------- 55g - RIP - Moved to 90g 36g Bow holding tank 90g Reef Tank Dreams of many more! |
Posted By: BobC63
Date Posted: September 19 2013 at 10:21am
|
Hmmm... mine crawls all over my zoas and palys, and I've never seen any signs of damage.
------------- - My Current Tank: 65g Starfire (sitting empty for 2+ years) - * Marine & Reef tanks since 1977 * |
Posted By: justchillinuno
Date Posted: September 19 2013 at 10:25am
|
Interesting.. I will take pictures when I get home tonight. ------------- 55g - RIP - Moved to 90g 36g Bow holding tank 90g Reef Tank Dreams of many more! |
Posted By: justchillinuno
Date Posted: September 24 2013 at 10:13am
|
SO the verdict..... The Star is now in the 36 Bowfront downstairs....It ate half of a patch of Reverse Spacemans..... SO i plucked him out and put him directly in the other tank... he pulled through the shock very nicely and is currently exploring the new tank... with 2 clowns, and some urchins... ------------- 55g - RIP - Moved to 90g 36g Bow holding tank 90g Reef Tank Dreams of many more! |