Linckia laevigata sea star

[TomCs]

I have a 50gal tank that it now comming up to a year old, id like to remodel my clean up crew. Part of that cuc includes a blue linckia sea star. My concern is my tank size and my pair of bottom feeding twin spot gobies. do i have enough space for a growing linckia sea star? will it compete with my docile gobies for detritus? and is the sea star generally a good tank aquisition for a reef set up?
Thanks for any replies, as soon as/if i get the go ahead from u guys ill be off to ther store which inevitably means PICTURES!

[kzickovich]

Linkas should stay out of the home aquirium they die most of the time.

[MCCOOL]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15733692#post15733692 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kzickovich
Linkas should stay out of the home aquirium they die most of the time.


+1 look into a serpant or brittle star, both are muh better choices.

[TomCs]

thanks for the reply! i try as hard as possible to research literature and what seem to be objective web sites, that all said about the same thing. "fine once properly acclimatised." i guess nothing beats real life experience. Anyonce else have bad encounters with these guys? if they are that bad, dont worry i wont go anywhere near them. i just cant get over how many and how often they have them for sale in stores... but i guess that's never a good indicator.

[jenglish]

Can linkias be kept in home aquaria? yes. Are they a good addition to most tanks? Not at all. Linkias do not ship well, are very sensitive to salinity changes and starve in most tanks. I would not give one very good chances of surviving in that set up based on having enough to eat, even if you found one that was well acclimated and survivied shipping stress.

[Sisterlimonpot]

I read your post wrong, I thought you had a linkia for a year and I was going to congratulate you on what many can't do. if your thinking about getting one I would advise against it but it's really up to you, and if you’re up for the challenge than give it a try.

[TomCs]

Thanks guys, im out! pretty much not going to bother doing my own research anymore and just ask here instead... now a serpent sea star would do the trick? i already have heaps of i think are commonly called mini brittle stars or zebra brittle stars that all came as hitch hikers, the serpent wont seek them out and snak on these little guys?

[MCCOOL]

I have a serpant and a brittle star and still have lots of mini stars so if they are eating them, they aren't eating many. They seem to be ditritivores/scavengers IME.

[jhoff]

they are very hard to keep even in an establashed tank i would go with a serpant here's mine (Ringo) comes out at feeding time..
http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww318/jameshoff/book003-Copy.jpg

[TomCs]

alright! thanks guys, u guys saved me some moolahs and my tank a definate crash... im now off to find me a serpant sea star.