Linckia Stars

I don't know how many different ways that I can say that nobody really knows what they eat. They do not eat shrimp, etc., and I've never heard of them eating meats. It is believed that they eat the "film" that grows on rocks and glass and maybe some detritus.

 

I for one understood your post the first time
I have a nineteen year old at home and he doesn't listen to me either lol


Jim

 

:laughing0

 

hey was that a shot lol...

 

Hi there,
Ideally Linckia starfishes feed on algal film in an aquarium. So any mature tank with a film of algae ( ideally on the glass) would be helpful for this wonderful creature.
Please also keep in mind that changes in salinity of the water would be a great shock to these creatures.

 

As this thread has come up, I would just like to add that my blue linckia has made it three weeks strong! He seems to enjoy a specific cave in my tank and I spot feed it from time to time.

 

What exactly are you spot feeding it? And have you seen it actually feeding on whatever you give it?

 

I feed it meats. He seems to enjoy zooplankton. I see his little tube feet taking the food into the center of his mouth. He doesn't seems to come out of a dark cave in my tank. He moves to different spots, but stays in the dark. I have a lot of LR and he seems to enjoy that spot.

I somtimes feed it under it's mouth, or when it's real deep in the cave, just throw in some zooplankton in there and hopefully he will catch it, since it wont float away and will stay in the cave.

 

also keep in mind that human skin CAN NOT touch linkias. something with our skin causes a reaction in the star that usually kills it.

 

OK I've never heard that before and I've handled my 2 year old Blue linkia numerous times.

Oh ya Marine Biologists still do not know what Linkia stars eat!!!!!!!!

I've never target fed it and it seems to stick to sponges and anything on the Rocks. I've never seen it on the glass. It will some times spend a great deal of time on new corals that I have purchased. Spending a few days around the plug of the coral (not on the coral). Most of the naturally occurring sponges in my tank are gone, but I see then pop up in the shadows from time to time. The star moves in and cleans them out. I have never purchased a sponge to see if it will eat it, but I have seen it clean of hitch hiker sponges. but never 100%. It always moves on before the sponge is decimated.

It is also my understanding that Blue Linkia have different eating habits than other Linkia like Red or Burgundy. I had a Burgundy several years ago that did not last long at all. I swore off Star fish after that and reading articals on the survival rate in captivity. The only reason I have this blue one is that is was rescued from certain death.


Jason