Feather Star, Crinoid

[Neenie]

Hi ya..

I've seen a few of these popping up in our LFS.. yesterday I saw a beautiful one which was red and white...

Has anyone got one? Are they hard to keep? are they best left where they are? I understand they feed on plankton.. so may be a difficult one..

Just wondered what your experiences are, I also just read they could be poisonous....

However a beautiful addition to a tank if safe..

Thanks

[Reefscape]

They are a filter feeder via the use of their pairs of arms...Very hard to keep and personally, i would not suggest people have these in the home aquaria, even in an established reef as the survival rate is very poor at best..

If you do, then plankton is a good food for them....

Hope that helps

Niko

[Neenie]

Hi Niko

Yes I wasn't sure, but guessed they were hard to keep.. such a shame they are stunning creatures..

[Reefscape]

yes, they are really beautifull....which some of the beautifull things from the ocean, are best left there...in their natural habitat...

Niko

[Grins]

Everything I've read points to that as well....better off left in the ocean.

[Max]

they are harder to keep than chily corals etc. They need lots of detritus and VERY stable water conditions . You also can't touch them and they have to be in a very high flow area. I won't say that they are impossible but, I will say that I've never had success with one.

[saltyjane]

Very difficult to keep........I have heardreports of them eating cyclopeeze (frozen kind).......still, would not buy one.

Janey