Sea Stars! Are They a Welcome Addition to a Saltwater Reef Tank?

Previously known as the STARFISH, this echinoderm's name has changed to SEA STAR, as these multi-tube footed echinoderms really don't share much in common with fish. Sea Stars are represented by three classes: the Asteroids, composed of Acanthaster, Protoreaster, Oreaster, Choriaster, Pentaceraster, Linkia, Fromia and Pentaster(ie.Crown of Thorns, Chocolate Chip, Reticulated, Doughboy, Red Fromia, Blue Linkia and Red Horned Sea Stars), the Ophiuroids, composed of by such stars as, Ophioderma, Ophiothrix, Ophiarachna, Astrophyton and Astropecten(ie. Green Brittle, Red Serpent and Basket Stars), and the Crinoids(ie. Sea Lillies and Feather Stars). Of these, basically the Ophiuroids and and some members of the Asteroid class are designated "reef safe" stars, though their husbandry issues and care need to be adhered to for their long term success in a captive environment.

Basically the Asteroids are a voracious eating machine which get too big for most tanks. They will consume anything that is in their way ie. corals, sponges, algae, other inverts, and if you have a prized Tridacna clam, your Asteroid star will love you for it, as it will devour your clam in no time at all. Their size is not to be ignored as they basically need a 1 per 100 gallon tank ratio. Many will not survive either as they will starve without proper feeding. Most of the Asteroids are represented by "knobby" bumps on their back which are of darker contrasting color than that of their body. When eating they are able to get into a mollusks shell with just the smallest crack in its shell. It then disperses its stomach through the opening of the clam and devours it, then returning its stomach back into its body cavity. These denisons are omnivorous with carnivorous tendencies and are NOT to be trusted with any reef, or marine tank with inverts, except for the Linkia and Fromia species, or you will be watching a star in a buffet line consuming and wiping out most living things in your tank.