Time to SNAP....

[geopod]

Ok I have to keep my cool. I have been telling you all about the red eyed crabs I have been catching. I was loooking in my tank last night and seen my feather starfish has shorter legs. So I am thinking something is eating his legs.So I put him in the seahorse tank figuring he would be safe.Well woke up this morning...and his legs are all hacked up on the sand bed.....What is going on? I have takin the crabs I found in there out and there is only 2 pieces of LR.Would the small tiny hermits be doing it?

george

[deacon hemp]

I'd bet that its just the feather star losing legs on its own!They are pretty much impossible to keep,how long have you had it?Very very few ppl have kept a crinoid alive for longer than a year.I think its a shame they are even imported.

[geopod]

I had it now maybe a month.

And if that is the case then it is a shame that they were imported.Especially if they dont livew long in captivity.

george

[Chad]

I had it now maybe a month.

And if that is the case then it is a shame that they were imported.Especially if they dont livew long in captivity.

george

This has been said to death, but unfortunately cannot be stressed enough. Its important to research your animals before you purchase them. By doing so you may avoid getting something that might not last long.

Starfish require vast amounts of food. Although I do not know your tank size, it is a good bet its not big enough for him to be able to find what he needs. Plus they tend to be very sensitive to salinity changes. I think serpent stars are the only ones I have seen that tend to do well in our captive reef's.

[geopod]

my tank is 90gal I have lots of food in there.I target feed him daily.And His legs looked chewed off. So I was thinking maybe I have more of those nasty crabs in my tanks still..And the seahorse tank I still must have one in there Unless like you guys say they will fall apart and die on their own...I dont know I am not an expert at that.

george

[deacon hemp]

Its been said that crinoids (feather stars) have a diet that is still unknown.They most likely take a mix of planktons at different sizes.They have been known to just drop legs,and basically starve to death.A few ppl have had short term sucsess with them in huge reefs.

Hopefully this thread will keep at least one person from buying another.

[seashells]

Hey George,

Try this link www.wetwebmedia.com/crinoids1.htm. It may answer some of your questions.

Doug

[KrazyKuch]

Not all star fish are hard to keep in captivity...Sand sifting stars and indoneisian(sp?)(red in color) are easy to keep....have had my sand sifter for a year and a half now

[untamed]

I have a good sized starfish in my tank and he often loses the tips of his arms because of a compulsion to reach inside the powerhead...

[deacon hemp]

Feather stars are not the same as normal starfish.