Recommend for me a reef safe star fish

[fmuakkassa]

I have a 180g reef tank where a green brittle star has been in it for about six years and kept getting bigger and bigger and I couldn't keep any cleaner shrimp in the tank. Lately, a coral banded shrimp and red blood shrimp vanished too. So finally I took it out and gave it to my LFS for credit.

I need a "reef-safe" and invertibrate safe sea star that my kids would also enjoy watching.

Any recommendations?

[oz07]

I have a spotted lalinka (spelling is wrong I'm sure) for over a year has not bothered anything including corals and the kids like it to. It came as a hitchiker on some rock some books call the spotty to keep alive but so far so good for me.

[rssjsb]

Most brittle stars (aside from the green ones) and serpent stars are safe. I've had a monster brittle in my 20 gallon with tiny fish and peppermint shrimp for over three years with no issue whatsoever.

Other sea stars (fromia/linckia) don't generally do well long-term except in really large tanks. You should look into the harlequin serpent stars from the Caribbean. They're safe and really pretty - I bet your kids would enjoy them.

Sealifeflorida.com has them right now. I've got one in my 90 gallon. Like most serpents, you'll only see them when they're hungry, but they're pretty cool. I've heard that red serpents are out more, but don't have any experience with them and don't know about their track record with small fish, shrimp, etc.

[AC11337]

spotted or dalmatian linkia, (linkia multiflora) are your best bet. They stay small and are much hardier than other linkias. (which should be avoided)

[fmuakkassa]

Thanks for the recommendations. I'll read about the dalmation linkia and harlequin serpent stars.