Starfish poll: how long has your starfish survived

[trilinearmipmap]

I want to get either a Fromia or Linckia type starfish for my 120, however I will not buy one if more than 50% of people have a less than 1 year survival rate. Please do not include brittle stars in this poll.

Also if anyone can provide any input on: will they bother snails, will they bother any corals, and any other observations on these animals.

[Delphinus]

I voted 6 months to a year, because that's how long I've had my blue linckia so far.

It does not bother anyone in the tank. But I have no idea what it eats. So to a certain extent I keep expecting the rug to get pulled out from under me, at any moment.

I did a very slow drip acclimation, about 16 hours in all (in a container in the sump to maintain temperature). I also waited at least 2 weeks after the LFS had brought them in. From what I read, they are VERY sensitive to different water (i.e., going from one tank to another).

On a more sober note, I could vote again a second time, with "3 to 6 months" for a burgundy linckia (not really a linckia, I forget the genus/species but looks very similar). It unfortunately did not live beyond that timeframe. It eventually fragged itself - each arm twisted off and there were these disembodied arms crawling around the tank for a while. But they eventually got smaller and smaller and eventually just disappeared.

So my stats are more along the lines of 50% success (but only "so far") and a 50% failure ("for sure"). Perhaps not the most encouraging results.

[Quagmire]

This article may help.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/may2002/toonen.htm

[EmilyB]

I voted on the basis of my longest surviving starfish who is still with me after four years. It, however, is an orange knobby, (echinaster species) and I've yet to find them ever again or I would buy six.

My orange fromias did well for a year and then I was skimmerless and my nitrates shot up and subsequently I lost them.

[LostMind]

my orange linkia has been with me for just over a year now. He fell into a coral once and lost 2 legs, but they have been growing back for 3 months now... so he has two stubbies!

But he is still going strong...

[kari]

blue linckia - 6 months to date

[trilinearmipmap]

OK to summarize the results it looks like 50% mortality before 1 year and 50% seem to live longer.

I wonder if there is anything in common among those people who have had more than 1 year success? For example, large tanks, lots of algae, heavy feeding of the tank, lack of or presence of a calcium reactor, lack of or presence of high-intensity lighting, etc.

[Gujustud]

Blue Linckia. First live specimen for my tank. Got it back in Feb '04. Still going strong. Found a new small baby starfish about a week ago as well. Dunno if they are related ;)

[trilinearmipmap]

Ok so it looks like a small fraction of starfish make it past 2 years.

Does anyone know the natural lifespan of these animals in the wild?