Linckia Starfish Help

I bought a Blue Linckia earlier today.
I acclimated it for about 3-4 hours, got the salinity and everything the same.

He seems to be doing fine.

Throughout the whole process I was sure not to let him hit air, but now he's climbing around the tank, and at times has his "legs/arms" out of the water.

Is this a big deal?
Should I move him down to the sand and rocks, or just leave him alone?

By not touching air, does it mean the center?

This is what he's doing...
Going up to the top of the glass and kind of hanging out the water. I have glass tops over 90%

 

no worries thats normal they often seem to skim the surface with their legs. i have even dropped the water level in my tank and forgot the linka was at the top. it just moved down on its own. you will know within a week or two if the linka is going to do well. you tried your best it sounds to acclimate it. but keep in mind you dont know how it was handled before you. once acclimated i have had great luck with them

 

yeah its normal, its the center you wanna worry about, because they intake water through their vascular system, and air can really mess them up, same with all stars. and IMO if you've got any questions about those linkia's Pink is the one to ask

 

Alright, thanks...
I was worried that I've have to constantly be checking on this guy and moving him "out of air"

I did a little bit of research on them, but it was kind of an impulsive by in a way.
Glad I did though, it's really really cool.

Guy at the LFS said that there's really no direct feeding, but now I'm reading through a few threads and it seems like starvation might become and issue.
We'll see I guess.
I tend to overfeed the fish to begin with, so maybe it'll work out.

It's now laying in the Skimmer fountain stream. It moves surprisingly fast.

 

the blue linkas are so pretty

 

How long have you kept one?


From what I've read, it's about 1 in a billion that lasts more than a few months in home aquaria.


They are very pretty.

EDIT: I mean, like, what's the secret?

 

most eat bacteria, see if your LFS has any form of bacteria in a bottle. thats why they starve, not alot of people know specifically what they eat

 

By bacteria are you talking something like Tetra Safe Start or a different form?

 

i put the one i have now in my tank when the tank was fairly new. i have had it i would say 5-6 months. (look at my pics you will see its picture and see hardly any corals in the tank, oh sps...corals they didnt do well. might try some sps again later?) anyway.......

i cant honestly say i know why they do well for me but i had one years ago in a tank i took down that was in there over a year. i gave that linka to a friend. he told me he could never get one to live before and was happy to get mine .he than had it over 2 years he wasn't really caring for his tank at the time when the linka died.

i really dont think to much is known about what they actually eat. i just know once they are acclimated and get past the week or so its smooth sailing.
i do pick them up from time to time to look them over i hold them in the water of course and look them over for the bad parasites i have read about. so far i havent had that. thank you linka god! lol

liveaquaria is a good spot to get them. both ones that did well came from there.

 

what brand of bacteria do you "dose" for your star? and for anyone looking into linkia's this website is pretty good
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/may2002/toonen.htm