Chocolate Chip Starfish for xenia control?

[artful13dodger]

Greetings, I just saw in liveaquaria's description that chocolate chip stars will eat softies.

From their description:
"The Chocolate Chip Sea Star is not considered reef compatible since adults will eat soft corals, sponges, tubeworms, clams, and other starfish."
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=497+528+2967&pcatid=2967

Has any used one to keep their xenia in check (preferably eliminate)? Will it go after the SPS and LPS as well? Tired of xenia taking over everything...

[harleychic]

I will trade you a cc star for a xenia frag!

[FishAddiction84]

I can not attest to the Chocolate Chip's Xenia appetite, but I can tell you mine hasn't touched any of my softies or LPS in the 6 months I have had him, though that isn't long term. He frequently travels over Zoas, Button Polyps, Mushrooms and I have caught him with an arm or two on the the Kenya Tree and I have never found any damaged or missing polyps, or destruction of any kind.

I sometimes feed him krill, shrimp, clam, any of the meaty foods I feed the other fishes. He also does his share of cleaning the sand bed, though that isn't really his purpose. If he was not getting supplemental feeding, he may of course be more inclined to have a coral snack, but that is purely speculation.