Linkia starfish....who's got what?

[Ray]

Who has linkias? What color do you have and how long have you had it?
I have 1 blue linkia that I have had for 9+ months and 1 orange that I have had 4 days

 

[Kim]

I got "Sumatran Speckled Sunburst Linckia" from Reefer Madness. I believe its called a multiflora linckia and when I did some research on linckia they are supposed to be one of the hardier types.

He is really cool looking. He's pink/reddish speckled colored, with his body being whitish. I got a pic somewhere.

I have had him since October. I haven't seen mine in out front in about a week. He's been hiding behind some rocks in the back.

Kim

 

[seasno]

I also have a blue I have had for over a year and an orange I have had for about 4 months

 

[starrfish]

I have a purple - I've had him for a few months. I also have an orange star (not a linkia).

 

[KAS]

I have a blue linkia and have had him for almost a year now.

 

[seawillow]

I've had my little guy for a few days now....he's way cool

 

[Ray]

Here is a pic of my blue one

 

[Ray]

here is pic this time

 

[Kim]

Here is mine:

 

[starrfish]

Here's my purple:

 

[Syris]

Here is a pic of my blue linckia I have had since June 2002.
I would like to add an orange one but worry that my 75g may not provide enough food for 2 linckia. I'll probably wait till I have a bigger tank.

 

[montec24]

All these pics make me want one!! Any suggestions? comments? HArd to keep? Reefsafe? etc. etc.?

 

[starrfish]

Definitely reef safe. The literature says some are harder to keep than others, but I've had good luck so far. Here's a great article describing the ones that are easy/difficult to keep:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/ac/feature/index.htm

 

[clamm]

This post makes me want one. ! Soon hopefully the tank will be the way I want it and then the fun begins.

 

[Jim Tansey]

I want one also, I never got one because of all the stories you hear about how difficult they are acclimate and keep. It's nice to know so many have had good results with them.

Jim

 

[CamaroJWeed]

I have a small Purple..I will get a picture when I find it again!!!

 

[stang8s]

I have had 3 in the past. A blue, orange and a green. I think the longest one lasted was 8-9 months. Then they just start to fall apart.. I dunno ... really bums me out though!

 

[willray]

my month old linka

has regenerated 1 1/2 arms since

 

[Matt L.]

More about Starfish

We recently discussed Linkia sp. starfish in another thread, along with the problems in keeping them for a long time and their ultimate and inevitable demise.

I, too, have been passively looking for someone who has kept one for over two years, but I've never found anyone.... Perhaps if I could have found out what this person did, then I can find a way to keep one myself.

I think Syris has done the best job here at keeping his alive.

Here is what was said in the other thread, along with a link to Dr. Ron's article from Reefkeeping Magazine:

Dr. Ron, who is known to be a little on the grumpy and pessimistic side (if not an absolute expert on invertebrates in the marine aquarium!), wrote the following article in December's Reef Keeping Magazine about Echinoderms in general. Scroll down to the section on asteroid starfish (not brittle starfish).

Even taking into consideration Dr. Ron's, um, nature and disposition, from everything that I have heard over the few years I have been doing this is that Linkia sp. starfish, even if they survive acclimation, will slowly starve to death in a reef aquarium over the months.

Personally, I would love to have one more than anything, but I have yet to hear all save one or two success stories out of the myriad of failures.

Don't get me wrong, keeping anything alive for 1-2 years is a good track record, but I guess the ethics of taking something from the wild knowing it can not survive long in captivity before starving to death is troublesome to me,

Matt

 

[Greg Hiller]

Wow...Syris...that is a good record. I'm guessing you have lots of live rock with lots of life on it. I've tried several times with the blue Linkias with no luck. I agree with what's been said above, in the 1-2 month span the problem is with poor transport conditions and acclimation procedures. In the 1-2 year and beyond the problem is with starvation. FWIW, I figured out a while back that these guys will eat yellow tunicates as someone gave me some that were naturally profilerating in his tank and the starfish made a beeline for them and ate them ALL.

>I believe its called a multiflora linckia and when I did some research on linckia they are supposed to be one of the hardier types.<

I've read this as well. I've been looking for a source for these for a long time and now I've found it, thanks for the info.

>Don't get me wrong, keeping anything alive for 1-2 years is a good track record, but I guess the ethics of taking something from the wild knowing it can not survive long in captivity before starving to death is troublesome to me,<

I agree of course, but if it makes you fell any better, or more likely to try these guys (the blue ones) they are VERY common in some places in the world. At low tide near the Philippine Island of Boracay there was one of these about every 10-15 feet in the mud.