Pico Star Fish Question

[superduperwesman]

Can you have a start fish in a 2.5 Gallon. If not I'm just curious as to why?

Thanks

[Whatigot]

something like a small formia might work, but as starfish are more sensitive to changes in salinity than anything, you would be very tested in your reefing abilities trying to keep it stable.

I have a 5 gallon nano and with a diy drip I made, its pretty stable as far as evaporation goes, though I wouldn't put a starfish in it but thats just me not having confidence in myself.

[superduperwesman]

Yeah would things not be stable enough with an auto-top off? Or is it a food issue. I heard most star fish eventually starve to death even in large tanks... so is it more that they will just starve supper fast?

[Pier Pressure]

I tried a couple of different starfish in my 28 gallon reef and they just died. I will not get any more. I think that is exactly what would happen - they would starve super fast. Nobody knows what they eat or need to survive. I would imagine they will last longer in the bigger reefs as they might be able to find more of whatever they need.

[Kabong]

I'll agree with Pier,
I tried one of the small red reef stars in my 33 gal.
Had to get rid of it because it was starving.

[karazy]

peersonaly i think bristle stars are okay. i have a friend whos bristle star eats shrimp

[Keri]

A mini brittle star MAY be ok as it would eat but starfish are incredibly sensitive to salinity changes, I wouldn't risk it in a pico. As for any of the fromia's they will definately starve and/or be too big to begin with.

[Whatigot]

I had a red formia in my 32 bow for over a year before I had a salinty issue and wiped out the whole tank.
I also kept it in my 12 gallon aquapod for almost 6 months before that.
both of these tanks had lots of LR, fuges and dsb.

[Drock169]

Their diet consists on sponges and microinverts, and everyone is right we dont know what type of sponges and microinverts each one eats, in a pico tank it would starve rather quickly.

[superduperwesman]

Ok so it seems like a no go.. but at the end of the day would it starve any faster? Does it actually find anything more in say a.... 30 gallon? Would it just live the same amount of time because at the end of the day it doesn't really find much in a medium sized tank anyway?

[Keri]

Ok so it seems like a no go.. but at the end of the day would it starve any faster? Does it actually find anything more in say a.... 30 gallon? Would it just live the same amount of time because at the end of the day it doesn't really find much in a medium sized tank anyway?


*the idea is NOT to put it in a small tank where it will starve. 2.5g, 12g or even a 30g.... 100g+ is what you Should have for this type of star, we don't knowwhat it eats but sucess over the long term (more than 6 or 12 months) is usually achieved with 100+lbs of liverock and the assorted inverts and living creatures that come with it. It may find a little more to eat in the nano or larger tanks if the LR has what it takes but you simply won't know.

It may not die faster from starvation (I'm being optimistic) but the salinity stability will definately be more of an issue in a pico than a much larger tank. And that will likely kill it. :(